JessicaSimpson.org What do you think? Google shows 9,150,000 results for Jessica Simpson 1762649 on overture
If Madonna can get madonna.com taken from the person who registered it, then I'm sure Jessica could get this one. (.org? I'll stop there)
Yeah, that sounds pretty ridiculous to me. What if I officialy changed my name to "google", then do I get google?
Madonna did win that case, and Jessica Simpson would doubtless win this one. But even if that was in doubt, Who do you think can afford to pay more attorney fees, you or Ms. Simpson?
I know, it seems stupid. I doubt I would win if someone registered my name, but I guess I'm not a famous brand/celebrity etc. Mike Rowe from BC started a site mikerowesoft.com. Bill got pissed and sued, but you know who won?? MIKE!! My rule is to stay away from anything that could get me a c&d.....I can't afford the legal fees. I'll give you something to think about though......why would Madonna get Madonna.com.....couldn't the Roman Catholic church get it?
If Madonna has a trade mark on her name then she could get it but unless you were doing something bad with the site I do not think you will have a problem. Make a fan site out of it and I do not see them taking the domain name, to much bad press comes from that. Now if you start trashing her on the site or putting up nude photos then you might run into a problem. PS...I will give you $500 if you would like to sell it!
Mike Rowe went to my high school. I was friends with some of his friends, but I only met him once or twice. It was really nice to see somebody stand up to that... (if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all...) Bill Gates .
Madonna took the name because the owner put content about her on the site. You cannot profit from commerical use of a famous person's trademark/name. Madonna certainly didn't own the rights to that name, but the content of the site made it infringement. JessicaSimpson would probably be able to claim ownership of the domain based on the name alone, but certainly if anything about her was put on the site. If a person who had the real name "JessicaSimpson" had the domain, they would retain rights as long as they didn't put content about the celebrity on the site. While a true fan site doesn't give a person a legal right to use a name, if the site is a true fan site that isn't commerical (doesn't run adsense, accept donations, sell memberships, advertising, any revenue) then you would have a few advantages in that you couldn't be sued for the revenue (since there isn't any) and you might be able to make a legal argument of "fair use" - but as someone else said, a court case would run a hundred thousand easy, and you wouldn't get legal fees even if you won (since there is no prevailing party clause and assuming US law). Many celebrities will not go after a true fan site - but that doesn't mean they couldn't take the domain if they wanted to.
Search Google for "cybersquatting" and you will see that it is illegal in most countried. But, the rule is still quite ambiguous. Madonna could have taken madonna.com off the previous owner, 'cos Madonna is not just a name .... It's a Brand! So is Google. Now, registering a domain name that says "brandname.com" is not illegal in my opinion. But, if you try selling it for a high price (Especially to the owner of the "brandname"), then it qualifies as cybersquatting and can get you into trouble. Ex: If "Nike.com" ever became available, you could register it, set-up your own website BUT you could get into trouble if you trying selling it on for a high price or even if you tried selling shoes on that site as Nike could claim that you are trying to dilute their brand by selling some shitty shoes on that site or using their brand name to sell your shoes. Plus, they could take you to court whenever they wanted and take the domain name off you.
I agree, $500 is not a lot to lose if they take the name but $2000 is a little harder of a hit if I was to lose it.