Spin Magazine Sends Cease & Desist To Twitter User @Spin
from the how-not-to-win-friends dept
Two and a half years ago, we wrote about the question of Twitter squatters and other likely fights about who gets to own what Twitter names, and pointed to a suggestion from lawyer Erik Heels that there needed to be a clear Twitter user name dispute resolution policy, similar to UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy) for domain names. To date, there still isn't anything quite like that, though Twitter often seems to take matters into its own hands if someone complains. However, apparently, Spin Magazine decided to bypass contacting Twitter directly and instead sent a cease & desist letter to the guy who had the @spin user name on Twitter, relegating Spin Magazine to using the dreaded @SpinMagazine (you can see the full cease & desist letter at ChillingEffects).Spin Magazine tried to claim that there was "confusion" with Eric Rice's @spin account by pointing to tweets that were meant for the magazine, but were directed to Rice instead. Of course, I don't see how Spin Magazine would have any legal claim here, since Eric Rice is an individual and is unlikely to be using the Twitter account for commercial purposes. Honestly, Spin Magazine comes off looking pretty silly here, and could have just tried a friendly approach, rather than running to the lawyers. However, Rice claims that until the C&D showed up, he'd never heard from Spin Magazine, despite his using Twitter for years with the name. We see this kind of thing all the time with lawyers and clients who think breaking out the legal nastygrams is a good way to get people to cooperate. Perhaps the scare tactics work some of the time, but they have a high likelihood of backfiring badly, as well.
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Filed Under: cease & desist, eric rice, spin, spin magazine, trademark
Companies: spin
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Spin Magazine does not own the term 'Spin'.
It reminds me when Joe Montana starting suing businesses in Montana for having the name of their State in their name.
Subway started sending cease and desist letters to restaurants who have been using the name "footlong" for decades claiming they own the term.
Spin Magazine, you don't own the term 'spin'. What next are you going to sue the makers of Sit and Spin, or sue someone who uses the term spin-doctor, or people who play Spin-the-bottle, or sue the makers of washing machines who have a spin cycle?
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Re: Spin Magazine does not own the term 'Spin'.
MyStarMonsterSpinBook.com is open for business! Who wants to take me to court first?
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I feel ignorant
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Spinners beware
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UDRP For Twitter Probably would have resulted in Loss Of Handle
Domain name UDRP decisions turn (or at least are suppose to) based off of use of the domain not just the domain itself (unless its a clear typo like wallmart.com)
Not sure how you can apply a use test to Twitter accounts but if you could and the account holder ever tweeted about the magazine, a competitive magazine or music in general they may have lost the handle by UDRP measures
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Re: UDRP For Twitter Probably would have resulted in Loss Of Handle
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Trademark protection
Is that legal? Seems like extremely dirty pool to me.
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Re: Trademark protection
ie: Leave stuff like Golden Circle, Tim Tams, Vegemite, UGG's etc.. ALONE!
An interesting point about UGG is that IP Australia (Our Trademark Arbitrator/Tribunal) recently ruled last year that both UGG AUSTRALIA and MADE BY UGG AUSTRALIA were fine as Trademarks by another company (Luga Productiosn Pty Ltd) and that Deckers COULD NOT claim anything since Luga's usage predated Decker's International Tradmark by 22yrs! HA!
Currently EMU Australia is currently counter suing Decker in California alleging that the trademark was granted by the USTO to Decker based on false and misleading statements and is therefore invalidated.
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genericized trademark
Ugg Boots have been made in Australia for decades and is a style of boots. It would be like someone trademarking the term loafer. high-heals, or cowboy boots.
What this is all about is arrogance on the part of these companies that take common words as their trademark and then think they now own the term. Its like calling your product "And" then proceeding to sue anyone who uses that word. I for one will think twice about ever frequenting a company that displays such crass arrogance.
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Who the hell reads Spin magazine?
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Re: Who the hell reads Spin magazine?
I dunno, from what I've heard, some kids go...when they Sit 'n Spin.
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Spin
"Spin" is a generic word. YOU CAN'T TRADEMARK THAT!!!
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Re: Spin
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Next, I will be sued
Because I am more technically savvy than some musician named Dave Barnes (http://twitter.com/#!/search/davebarnesmusic).
Should I create a davebarnesspin account at the Twitter?
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Spin is a generic term in some ways, but denying knowledge of a well known common commercial user makes him look less than honest.
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I had never heard of Spin Magazine before either.
Now I know they are good for nothing stealing scum, that's quite an improvement on unknown don't you think?
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On that note, I'll await the defamation lawsuit from someone named Jo.
(@MadJo)
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Wow
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犀利士
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