Eminem Wins Cybersquatting Case Using New WTO Procedure
 

Amazing how some site owners think they can blatantly just go and use someone else's name to make money and not compensate them or get permission first.



GENEVA - Eminem won a cybersquatting case against a British firm found to be misusing the rap star's trademark on an Internet site selling mobile phone ring tones and picture messages, a United Nations agency said Thursday.

The ruling was announced by the U.N.'s World Intellectual Property Organization. The organization had named an arbitrator to examine his complaint against Tim Mcintosh and Visitair Ltd., which registered the domain name eminemmobile.com a year ago.

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, objected to his trademark name and hit songs including "Real Slim Shady" and "Stan" appearing on the site, which carries a disclaimer that it is unofficial and in no way connected with the five-time Grammy award winner, according to the ruling.

But Canadian arbitrator Nelson Landry found the domain name had been registered in bad faith and that Mcintosh and Visitair had no legitimate rights or interest. The domain name is automatically transferred to Eminem within 10 days unless the loser launches a court case challenging the decision.

The Detroit native is the first rap star to use WIPO's fast-track low-cost procedure, joining other singers including Madonna, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams who have won decisions.

Eminem sued Apple Computer Inc., in a copyright infringement lawsuit filed in Detroit in February, claiming that it used one of his hit songs, "Lose Yourself," in a TV advertisement without permission.

and people here have unlicensed music in banners, have seen people use Snoopy, SOuth Park etc in banners. While only toons, still ?

people look the other way for some, and chase down others.

:thumbsup

Pwnage.

what about the folks using both Bill Gates, name and pic in banners on this board?

hehehe

as a designer, i have turned down a bunch of work like this because its not legal, yet I know people do it all day.

sucks to see legitimate companies involved in such crap.

desperation? nah cant be.

Lol, wtf?! How can this even happen?

Good for him.

I've seen those on GFY's top banner spot and was thinking the same thing.

Big companies steal stuff all the time too. Not just the little guys. Probably someone at Apple figured they'll assume we licensed his song cause we're Apple.

Eminem seems to be one of those artists that really keeps an ultra tight grip on his intellectual property rights.

a GFY banner and an Apple TV commercial is 2 different things guys. The chances Eminem sees the GFY banners are small but the chances he sees an apple commercial are much higher.

its all about that, people take chances on GFY, but they're infriguing the law. its just not as noticable as a tv commercial thats all.