Suing A Gaming Website For Having The Same Name As A Game Character

from the new-levels-of-brilliance dept

This one gets more amusing the further you read, but Boing Boing points to the story of a guy, Robert MacNichol, who is threatening to sue a gaming news website because they have a page describing a game that just happens to have a character named (yup) Robert MacNichol. Mr. MacNichol is apparently upset that, when Googled, this page comes out at the top of the list, leading some people to believe he's a crazy video game character from a bad video game set before the Civil War, rather than someone living today, who apparently thinks you can sue random websites over Google results. The conversation with the gaming site gets more amusing as it goes on, leading to the gaming site pointing to a number of other Robert MacNichols online, and Mr. MacNichol eventually claiming that he would be "breaking new ground" once he successfully sues the gaming site. As proof that he's likely to win, he points to the way-too-often-cited-and-usually-for-the-wrong-reasons case of the McDonald's spilled coffee lawsuit (please, please, we've heard the arguments before -- do NOT post comments about this lawsuit and how it was valid and blah blah blah... that's not the point here). Of course, perhaps Mr. MacNichol is smarter than some are giving him credit for. In getting this story out there, and getting it on various blogs, it's quite likely that future Google searches on his name will push down the gaming results... and increase the results that suggest he's a bit trigger happy on questionable lawsuits.
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  • identicon
    Rajesh, 11 Mar 2005 @ 6:26pm

    Homer to the max

    Once again life imitating an episode of the Simpsons.
    Episode AABF09

    Bank Owner: You men saved my bank! I'd like to donate forty dollars
    to charity in your honor. But, uh ... I don't know your
    names.
    Kaufman: Lance Kaufman.
    Simpson: Simpson, Detective Homer Simpson.
    Homer: [long, slow gasp] He's named like my name!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Larry Leisuresuit, 12 Mar 2005 @ 9:17am

    You're tellin' me!

    Yeah, I have this problem all the time!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    nonuser, 12 Mar 2005 @ 9:40am

    great icebreaker at bars and parties

    He should be using it to his advantage.

    As for the McDonald's spilled coffee, what people are forgetting is... oops, sorry.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Robert MacNIchol, 12 Mar 2005 @ 3:07pm

    Me....

    You have it somewhat correct. But I never threatend to sue anyone. I asked if there was someother way to get my name off a "whack" site. Yeah, I'm a witch... and don't want anyone to know it? The Blair Witch at that? hahahaha... anyway, my fame grows....and you have fodder for your "thing" on the WWW. Good luck. You'll need it when I'm done with my spell-on-you! sssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rob MacNichol, 13 Mar 2005 @ 3:55pm

      Re: Me....

      Listen, the point is I don't want to made to look foolish by some silly videogame. My colleagues at the plant would consider these WWW Google results prime fodder for teasing me about my various hygiene issues, and my penchant for masturbating in the bathroom while humming the theme to "Family Ties".

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    BG, 14 Mar 2005 @ 6:53am

    Okay, is this a new term...?

    If he's responding smarter like you suggest, I see this guy MacNichols using the Reverse-Streisand technique?
    That's got to be a viable option to bad publicity--using reverse news via same words in Google to restablish the preferred content.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    michaela, 15 Mar 2005 @ 3:36pm

    hi

    well, aperently this guy is an complete and total idiot. I hate it when people sue just to sue.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    katncandy, 12 May 2005 @ 10:42pm

    i know rob

    he's yanking their chain. what a mind! i love that guy! he's hilarious...i can't believe they think he is serious! roflmfao!!!!!!!!!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Kat, 27 Apr 2007 @ 2:48pm

    rob is a great guy

    how entertaining this has been...it just keeps giving and giving. There are STILL people pointing it out in the forums we hang out in and now I'm seriously considering that my good friend does indeed have grounds for a lawsuit. hahaha ;)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bill Veld..., 28 Apr 2007 @ 5:49am

    Rob MacNichol

    I know Rob. He's straight as an arrow--but I'm gay.
    If I could get at him--sexually--I'd do it in a heart
    beat. My buddies Arnie and Ed Ramon are homos
    with a cause and together we're imagining how we
    might get Bill Payne (queer all the way) to somehow
    trick him into a threesom..or foursome. Homos
    forever! We're queer and in yiur face Rob

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rob, 28 Apr 2007 @ 7:20am

    Bill Veld...

    ...I've asked you to drop it. We can still be friends.
    You have maligned some very good people over
    me and I feel bad. The other stuff happened years
    ago. Stop being mean to me, Arnie, Ed (a hero)
    and Bill Payne. These guys don't need yur crap.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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