Poll: ConFurence trademark protection
Poll Should I Protect the "ConFurence" trademark?
Guiness published their 2008 book and included an entry naming Anthrocon as the largest furry fan group. Unfortunately, they included in their writeup the following text: "Furries, as they are known, meet a confurences and share their love of animal anthropomorphism..."
In so writing, they misused the registered word mark "ConFurence" in a generic sense, much the same way that MTV Networks did with the Sex2K episode several years ago. I wrote MTV back then and stopped them from re-airing that episode without incurring legal fees... but what is my recourse this time, and is it worth it?
Are they exempt because the corporation is based in the UK? They do business in the US as well, so I don't think so.
The bottom line: Is it worth my time to bother?
My main concern is is someone else does business using a mark registered to me, and breaks laws or incurs some other liability, then I might be mistakenly identified as the owner of that name and will have to defend myself. It could happen... especially with the lack of respect for basic civil and municipal laws prevalent in the So Cal furry community. This is why I've told Robert Johnson repeatedly since mid-2003 that he can't use the ConFurence name unless he incorporates properly, shows me the state-registered articles of incorporation, and licenses the name from me so that I can write some waiver of liability into the license. Califur still isn't running under a corporate umbrella of any sort.
What do you all think?
Guiness published their 2008 book and included an entry naming Anthrocon as the largest furry fan group. Unfortunately, they included in their writeup the following text: "Furries, as they are known, meet a confurences and share their love of animal anthropomorphism..."
In so writing, they misused the registered word mark "ConFurence" in a generic sense, much the same way that MTV Networks did with the Sex2K episode several years ago. I wrote MTV back then and stopped them from re-airing that episode without incurring legal fees... but what is my recourse this time, and is it worth it?
Are they exempt because the corporation is based in the UK? They do business in the US as well, so I don't think so.
The bottom line: Is it worth my time to bother?
My main concern is is someone else does business using a mark registered to me, and breaks laws or incurs some other liability, then I might be mistakenly identified as the owner of that name and will have to defend myself. It could happen... especially with the lack of respect for basic civil and municipal laws prevalent in the So Cal furry community. This is why I've told Robert Johnson repeatedly since mid-2003 that he can't use the ConFurence name unless he incorporates properly, shows me the state-registered articles of incorporation, and licenses the name from me so that I can write some waiver of liability into the license. Califur still isn't running under a corporate umbrella of any sort.
What do you all think?