Legality issues with celeb name in domain?



Could be a problem if it is that specific as it looks like your are trying to fool people into thinking you are Brad Pitt. fanofbradpittblog.com is more likely to stay safe.
 
David Z said:
Basically, anyway. Also try not to make money off of someone's trademark if you
don't have their permission, not even ads.

(Finally posting after lurking for a long while.)
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Yes but is someone's name considered a trademark? Surely not.
 
hmmm.. So, from what I gather, if the name hasn't been trademarked, and you aren't using the domain with bad intent, then your good. Im sure it's not that simple.
 
just looked up the one I want to use, and it isnt trademarked. So if I used "bradpittblog" to promote him, with no bad intent, and he hadn't trademarked his name..I should be good right?
 
Perezhilton.com best example of how to skate around the issue, go to USPTO search the mark. copy and paste it in the number 5 option and you can see all the legal wrangling he did, basically his argument was "hey a gay Puerto Rican with a similar name has no resemblance to a fashion model Paris Hilton.
 
Dumbass said:
Perezhilton.com best example of how to skate around the issue, go to USPTO search the mark. copy and paste it in the number 5 option and you can see all the legal wrangling he did, basically his argument was "hey a gay Puerto Rican with a similar name has no resemblance to a fashion model Paris Hilton.
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But then it will not have any EMD value.

Not to mention, PerezHilton.com isn't a site about Paris Hilton (may be, not looking it up), and my site would be exclusively about said celeb.

I think I'm going forward with this since the name hasn't been trade marked (dumb).. also, I'm some what of a fan, and it will be easy for me to write about this person.

Open to other opinions...
 
I think you are going to be ok if it is positive coverage. It's like reporting, it is allowed. It is when you throw up negative stuff without fact that you get fallout...
 
lose lose win said:
Im sure it's not that simple.
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Heh, indeed, especially if you're in, say, the U.S. There's also "right of publicity"
issues, though that's as far as I know other than those involving trademarks.

Other than that, you should be good to go. At least you're trying to anticipate.

Good luck on your ventures.
 
Um, you can use his name if it is your name... Let's say you want PerezHilton.com - if you have the same name it's fine..

What does matter though - is the content! By placing information about yourself on the site, you are safe. If you put content on the site about Perez, with ads and all that just for the sole purpose of making money off their name - well, I'm sure they won't like that.
 
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