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If Your Domain Includes “Google” the Search Giant is Coming For Ya!

posted on September 11, 2009


Screen shot 2009-09-11 at 10.41.47 AMThat great idea you had that involved launching a new SEO company using PwnGoogleRankings.com? Yeah, you probably should have saved the $10 you spent on domain registration fees, because you have approximately zero chance that ICANN will let you keep it.

Just ask Absolutee Inc which registered googlewebmarketing.com hoping to convince us all that it was the go-to place for, well, Google web marketing. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t think that Google might have something to say about it.

Google disputed the domain ownership and ICANN’s arbitration forum agreed that the domain name was registered to take advantage of Google’s reputation and knowingly infringe its trademark.

“…under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED. Accordingly, it is Ordered that the domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.”

Now, it’s not concrete that simply owning a domain name that includes “Google” in it, will result in you having to hand over the keys to the search giant. Absolutee Inc failed because its web site a) might have confused the general public that it was owned by Google and b) failed to demonstrate that it was operating under than name “GoogleWebMarketing” as a legitimate business.

Personally, I think they deserved to lose the domain name just for having a really bad web site! ;-)


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  • http://www.theistudio.com/muse Judith

    Overwhelmingly I see onliners do not have an understanding of what trademarks mean in the grand scheme of things. It is risky at best to use a company’s trademarked name in a domain name. To think that is O.K. or that you won’t “hear” from the rightful trademark holder is naive at best. It is their brand that they have invested in and those who are serious will protect that brand from any confusion or dilution at every turn.

    Sort of ironic how Google is protecting their trademark from others who use it in a domain name, but all bets are off when AdWords users can use other’s trademarks to trigger AdWords ads. Hmmm …
    .-= Judith´s last blog ..Have You Forgotten 9/11? =-.

  • http://www.barbaraling.com Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach

    I hope they don’t go after http://www.googleguide.com – that’s a tremendous site!!
    .-= Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..How To Punch Your Fist Through a Steel Door and Smash Away Your Stress =-.

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  • http://www.site-boodter.com/blog/ Rahman Mehraby

    Using Google in the name may only include the word “Google” in your URL as part of your keyphrase, but I don’t think it’s worth trying and encounter with ICANN’s legal steps.

    If the word Google is so Important, you can use it after YourDomainName.com/HERE.

Filed Under: Legal, Search Marketing