Communications company settles lawsuit over typosquatting.
Verizon has reached a tentative settlement with 2Cool Guys, LLC, Warren Weitzman, and Arnold Trebach over alleged trademark infringement from domain name typos.
The communications company filed the complaint in October, alleging that the defendants parked typos of its popular Verizon trademark in order to earn pay-per-click revenue. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but two of the three domain names in question have been transferred to Verizon as of this morning. Verizon was asking for $100,000 per domain name plus fees and recovery of pay-per-click revenue earned.
Typo domain names involved in the case included varizon.com, vierzon.com, and virazon.com.
Verizon has frequently sued entities that allegedly register and monetize typos of its trademarks. In 2008 it won a default judgment of $33 million in one such case. However, Verizon happens to be one of the biggest typosquatters in the world itself.
Lance says
“However, Verizon happens to be one of the biggest typosquatters in the world itself”
This can’t be emphasized enough. How a company that abuses trademarks as much as Verizon has the gaul to go after “cybersqautters” is beyond me.
Their current legal strategy will no doubt end with an investigation into their wholesale abuse of TM’s comming to light. I have a verizon internet account and everytime I misspell a domain I am redirected to a verizon parking page showing ads for the type of service I was trying to get to.
I wonder what motivation could be behind this strange legal strategy. I mean people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks.
Andrew Allemann says
Lance – I think it’s a matter of two different parts of the company. Legal is supposed to protect its trademarks; the ISP wants to make money. I bet if it were up to legal they’d shut down the typosquatting operation ASAP.
Dave Zan says
They have plenty of time to do that. 🙂
D. Rawls says
After working with outstanding customer service specialists at GoDaddy.com, I have an understanding of this matter that delves into the matter of using others’ names while registering domains (i.e. http://www.TheNextMichaelJackson.com), and am under the impression that there is little regulation pertaining to the matter worked through to a form of combatting this new aspect of copywriting, patent, or trademark enfringement.
Anyone here who has additional details such as Case References addressing these areas shall be greatly appreciated for their insights.