trademarks iv domain names & trademarks class notes: april 9, 2003 law 507 | intellectual...

Trademarks IVTrademarks IVDomain Names & TrademarksDomain Names & Trademarks

Class Notes: April 9, 2003Class Notes: April 9, 2003

Law 507 | Intellectual Property | Spring Law 507 | Intellectual Property | Spring 20032003

Professor WagnerProfessor Wagner

4/9/034/9/03 22Law 507 | Spring 2003Law 507 | Spring 2003

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

1.1. Brief Cleanup:Brief Cleanup: Dilution Analysis Dilution Analysis

2.2. Defenses: Parody and Nominative UseDefenses: Parody and Nominative Use

3.3. Domain Names & TrademarksDomain Names & Trademarks

a) The ACPA

b) The UDRP

c) Marks & ‘Net Governance


DilutionDilutionDistinction b/w Likelihood of Confusion & DilutionDistinction b/w Likelihood of Confusion & Dilution

Likelihood of Likelihood of ConfusionConfusion DilutionDilution

Key AnalysisKey Analysis consumer confusionconsumer confusiondiminishment of diminishment of

distinctive quality of distinctive quality of markmark

Types of Marks Types of Marks EligibleEligible

distinctive, or …distinctive, or …

descriptive w/ descriptive w/ secondary meaningsecondary meaning

““famous” and famous” and distinctivedistinctive

Type of infringing Type of infringing use requireduse required

Use in commerceUse in commerce ‘‘commercial use in commercial use in commerce’commerce’

Competing uses or Competing uses or goods required?goods required?

YesYes NoNo

Actual harm Actual harm requiredrequired

NoNo Yes (circumstantial Yes (circumstantial evidence okay)evidence okay)


DefensesDefenses

Parody and Nominative UseParody and Nominative Use

Mattel v MCA RecordsMattel v MCA Records (9th Cir. 2002) (9th Cir. 2002)• Why does the court quickly set aside the likelihood of

confusion analysis? (Isn’t MCA using the mark?)• Why does the court suggest that First Amendment

concerns are more significant in the dilution context?• How does the court reconcile the two statutory

references to ‘commercial’ use of the mark?o What does the court find the ‘noncommercial use’

exception means? (Is this what MCA is doing?)

Note also the New Kids On the Block Case (p. 717-Note also the New Kids On the Block Case (p. 717-18):18):• Why is this use of the mark noninfringing?• What does the court mean by the term ‘nominative

use’?


Domain Names & TrademarksDomain Names & Trademarks

Quick overview of Domain NamesQuick overview of Domain Names

1.1. Domain Names are an overlay to the Domain Names are an overlay to the internet networkinternet networka)They correspond to an “IP Address”

www.law.upenn.edu = 130.91.144.50

b)They are not necessary to use the ‘net; typing the ip address works just fine

c) When you type a domain name, your computer seeks to ‘resolve’ the name by querying ‘DNS servers’


Domain Names DisputesDomain Names Disputes

1.1. Why are there disputes over domain Why are there disputes over domain names?names?• Lack of namespace? (more than 96-characters

allowed)• Inability to find desired web sites?• Inability to determine desired from undesired

web sites?• Desire for short, easily-remembered name

(for marketing purposes)?• Control over references to your

goods/services?

2.2. What is What is cybersquattingcybersquatting? Should there be ? Should there be anything wrong with it?anything wrong with it?


Domain Names DisputesDomain Names Disputes

Three Basic ApproachesThree Basic Approaches1.1. Federal trademark lawsuit (typically dilution Federal trademark lawsuit (typically dilution

claim)claim)• Con: Required a series of awkward ‘stretches’

2.2. The ACPA (15 USC § 1125)The ACPA (15 USC § 1125)1. Allows claims for ‘bad faith registration’2. Cons:

• Jurisdictional problems• Federal litigation is expensive, time consuming• Federal courts are sensitive to 1st Amendment issues

3.3. The UDRPThe UDRP• Allows transfer when ‘bad faith’ exists• Cheaper and quicker than ACPA• No jurisdictional problems


The ACPAThe ACPA

Shields v ZuccariniShields v Zuccarini (3rd Cir. 2001) (3rd Cir. 2001)• What is it that Zuccarini did? (Is that really so

bad?)• What happened when someone visited Z’s sites?• What are the requirements for an ACPA claim?• Do you agree with the court that joecartoon.com

is famous?• Are misspellings ‘identical or confusingly

similar’?• Why is Z found to be acting in ‘bad faith’? Do

you agree? (Should a commercially-motivated use of the domain name really be an element of bad faith?)


The ACPAThe ACPA

PETA v DoughneyPETA v Doughney (4th Cir. 2001) (4th Cir. 2001)• Note the peta.org tagline: “A resource

for those who enjoy eating meat, wearing fur and leather, hunting, and the fruits of scientific research (and more!).”

• How did Doughney act in ‘bad faith’?

• Any practice tips (both for trademark holders and domain name holders) here?


The UDRPThe UDRP

1.1. How does the UDRP become effective How does the UDRP become effective against all domain names?against all domain names?

2.2. Overview of the UDRP process:Overview of the UDRP process:• Trademark owner files a ‘complaint’ with

an approved dispute resolution provider, alleging ‘bad faith’ in registering the mark

• The respondent has a short period of time to respond (a majority do not)

• One (or sometimes three) ‘panelists; decide the case on the basis of the submissions


The UDRPThe UDRPElements of a UDRP claim:Elements of a UDRP claim:

1. Identical/confusingly similarity between mark and domain name

2. No ‘legitimate rights’ in the domain name3. Registration and use in bad faith

Bad faith:Bad faith:1. Primary purpose of reselling domain name to the

complainant or a competitor of complainant2. Registration to prevent mark-holder from using the

name3. Registration to disrupt the business of a competitor4. Attempts to attract ‘net users, for commercial gain, by

creating a likelihood of confusion

Legitimate rightsLegitimate rights1. Use of domain name in bona fide business2. You have been known by the domain name3. Legitimate noncommercial fair use


Marks and ‘Net GovernanceMarks and ‘Net Governance

1.1. How does the dispute over trademarks How does the dispute over trademarks and domain names implicate ‘net and domain names implicate ‘net governance?governance?

2.2. Are there other ways to deal with the Are there other ways to deal with the issue, aside from establishing a issue, aside from establishing a complex dispute-resolution process?complex dispute-resolution process?• Domain name inalienability• Repetitive domain name auctions• Massive reallocation of domain names• Domain name ‘reservation’ processes• Do nothing


Next ClassNext Class

Intellectual Property & the Intellectual Property & the Constitution I Constitution I

Structural LimitationsStructural Limitations

trademarks iv domain names & trademarks class notes: april 9, 2003 law 507 | intellectual...

Documents