Re: [ga] Is ICANN planning on respecting copyright laws in the new TLD program?

[Matthew Pemble <matthew@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 16 March 2012 15:56, Michael D. Palage <mike@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> After a stressful week in Costa Rica, thanks for this comical intervention.
> I needed a good laugh.
>

I know American copyright law is considerably different from everywhere
else. And I'm not suggesting that there isn't valuable IPR in TLDs being
operated outside of the ICANN route.

But can you really claim copyright, anywhere, in common words or
abbreviations such as "America", "USA", various felines and, reductio ad
absurdum "Z"? Honest question, really. If rather more than slightly
incredulous.

I'd note that in less ridiculously litigious climes, use of common words as
trademarks has been ruled unprotectable. Hence the Hoover Corp's long-lived
downer on people using their trademark as a generic noun.

M.

-- 
Matthew Pemble
Technical Director, Idrach Ltd

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