Is it legal to take a site name and add the word sucks onto it and then give your own experiences and things about that site? One of the biggest sites I know of for it is www.paypalsucks.com . Is it legal to do that for any site? I saw this from GoDaddy's Terms which is where I bought a site for this: How could I get passed that? Isn't free speech and telling the truth enough?
Adding "sucks" to a domain name can get around trademark infringement, but GoDaddy is free to set their own terms for their services. It's a disclaimer that allows them an out, but whether or not they will use it up to them. They have a right to not to host any type of site they want. Some hosts don't allow porn sites, not because it is illegal, but because they don't want it a part of their business model. In such a case, you just need to find another host. You also have to be careful about what you say. Even if something is "legal" it doesn't mean a company can't sue you and force you to run up huge legal fees. Not all opinions are protected free speech. Make sure you understand defamation and libel "per se".
I'm not going to host it at GoDaddy. I just purchased it from there. My host is fine. It's a bad review site because I was scammed... so how could they sue be over that?
I'm working on the site still but will let you know once it's done. As long as I make valid and truthful claims, it's fine to do with? Slander/libel is making false claims.. which I won't be doing at all..
GoDaddy can still take down your site. If I were you I would transfer the domain registration away from GoDaddy.
As long as its not slander/libel, you will be okay legally speaking. A domain name registrar might have other problems in just the way it appears. Basically, if you are using the website to just bash a company without proper cause, then it is illegal. You are damaging their image/reputation. If you are logically portraying factual information it is just bona fide competitive nature, which is completely legal to partake in. Bottom line: If this is a rant session website, it is most likely illegal
you can get in trouble if you put up content that is false. basically if you put stuff up that pisses them off they might try and sue. airlines have done that for www.mesasucks.com and that kind of stuff. i dont think they won tho, since in the cases I know of, the site was just posting news storied and user comments, and not making anything up so...they really did suck.
Thanks for the help here. Everything will be true and real stories / comments on the site. Nothing will be made up or false.
Come on y'all...this was JUST in the news like 2 days ago. It was the guy that did the WalMart sucks t-shirts...He used the walmart trademark in criticisms of walmart, the federal judge called his use "protected speech". Can you tell lies? Of course not. But paypalsucks.com is still there for a very good reason: it's free speech, protected by the first amendment from any legal attack... The walmart story: To put it mildly, Charles Smith, a 50-year-old computer store owner in Conyers, Ga., isn't a fan of Wal-Mart. Indeed he considers the retailing giant to be plying the same moral trade as Adolph Hitler and Osama Bin Laden -- and to prove his seriousness, Smith has gone and done something that requires a good deal of courage. He's .... I don't want to post to much of the article, I don't want to run afoul of the rules here. You can google the first line.
As I stated, even if it is legal, it doesn't stop a company from suing you. This guy likely had huge legal fees to defend his "right" to free speech. Wal-mart is also going to appeal the ruling, so the legal fees aren't over yet. I was involved in something similar about 5 years ago - and wound up spending a fair amount to get the case thrown out of court.