Pengiun & the katie.com f*ckup

Cabaal

Just reading slashdot and came across this

The gist of the story is that Katie Tarbox became a victim of an online sexual predator when she was 13. She wrote a book about it in 2000 and Penguin Putnam made the title of the book 'Katie.Com', which unfortunately was a domain name owned by Katie Jones since 1996. Now Tarbox's lawyer is demanding that Jones turn over the domain name. Penguin refuses to apologize, saying that it would be a violation of their free speech to re-title the book and that Jones never trademarked katie.com, so they can do what they want with the words."

All I can say is WTF??
I'd be fair pissed if I owned the domain for 4 years and suddenly a company makes a book using my domainname as the titile and then demands my domain because its there??

While we're at it I think I'll make a sex book called microsoft.com and demand they give me the domain

The full story of this complete ****up and abuse of power is on The Register http://www.theregister.com/2004/08/04/penguin_katie_hijack/

what a joke!

Sleepy

Just read that article. While you have to have sympathy for the girl the book is about, the actions of Penguin are particularly deplorable.

I'm surprised that the owner of the domain hasn't tried launching a criminal case against the publisher for harassment to be honest.

It would be a particularly interesting court case were it to go ahead.

Cabaal

Sleepy wrote:

Did they win?

Its still ongoing...
read the story ffs

Sleepy

just did and had edited the post before seeing yours...

whosurpaddy

wow. its amazing how big corps think they can get away with anything they want. the cheek of them having the lawyer trying to bully her out of the domain.

Syth

That is quite sleazy of Penguin to do that. The original Register artice on it (from 2000, it's linked at the bottom) says:

But if it's distressing for her, just think what it must be like for those kids who thought they could turn to katie.com for help? Haven't they been let down? And all because some literary types thought it would make a good book title.

Which put a whole new spin on it. Sad really.

Cabaal

What properly did'ent help the owner of katie.com is her site got slashdoted for about 2hours today, all back to normal now but I'm sure she's got loads of e-mails to go through I know I sent one in support

jor el

I think she should host a load of pr0n on katie.com and see how Penguin like their book being ascociated with a porno site Or she could try to sell the domain to them for lots of money, like the bertieahern.com one from a few years ago.

whosurpaddy

jor el wrote:

I think she should host a load of pr0n on katie.com and see how Penguin like their book being ascociated with a porno site Or she could try to sell the domain to them for lots of money, like the bertieahern.com one from a few years ago.

i dont think thats really an option for her as she runs a chat service herself.

Sleepy

If it were me, I'd get some webcam girl aged 18, name her Katie and watch the cash roll in from perverts while Penguin take the hit.

Sarky

That's probably the nastiest, most un-PC idea I've ever seen.

I love it.

Puck

Cabaal wrote:

While we're at it I think I'll make a sex book called microsoft.com and demand they give me the domain

Do you really want the terms "micro" and "soft" associated with your sex book?

Cabaal

Puck wrote:

Do you really want the terms "micro" and "soft" associated with your sex book?

hmm ok maybe not...

Sarky

If it's about midget furry pr0n, probably.

sceptre

Cabaal wrote:

Just reading slashdot

Bejebus they're slowing down, I can remember reading about this a few years ago.

While Cabaal's example isn't perfect (Microsoft is a trading name, registered name for incorporation and presumably a trademark (I'm too lazy to check out where the little TMs and Rs are on the discs)), it's a good enough example to demonstrate how ludicrous Penguin's demand for the domain is.

I think Kate Jones is being pretty restrained about this to be honest. I'd have done something to make a consistent quick buck with a domain name that a publishing company just chose to use without any regard for my rights.