Copyright Questions.. please read/help

Ringr · 03-12-2005, 08:43 PM

This kind of fits under the "development concepts" of the "website development" forum. So here goes my question:

Okay, my host is a smart guy, he knows like 4 languages and he's pretty familiar with legal stuff too. Anyways, he said that if I bought a copyright for about $600 - I could copyright my website's name, and that would mean that anyone else using the same name as my website would be legally forced to change their name or abandon their project.

To make a long story short, I own GTACentral.com - and now there's about 100,000 GTA Central's. There's GTACentral.net, GTA-C.com, GTA-Central.com, and there's even more than I can't think of right now! Anyways, if I wanted to secure my name and legally own the rights to the name "GTA Central" could I do this by buying a $600 copyright? According to my host, he said I could because that's "what he did" so that "no one else could copy the name of his hosting company".
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/website-development/74940-copyright-questions-please-read-help.html

Please share thoughts.

***armstrong*** · 03-12-2005, 09:16 PM

What does GTA stand for?

TheBrigade · 03-12-2005, 09:20 PM

Grand theft auto?

majinbuu1023 · 03-12-2005, 09:24 PM

you should register it,
then all the other gta centrals will have to change their name

TheBrigade · 03-12-2005, 09:49 PM

Thats what hes asking.

majinbuu1023 · 03-12-2005, 10:25 PM

oh,oops,
well then you should register it

andriegel · 03-12-2005, 10:41 PM

How Can you register a GTA name- isn't Grand Theft Auto (The video Game) already copywrighted?

katieb · 03-13-2005, 08:50 AM

It actually depends on which country your business is registered in.

It also depends on if you have formed some sort of "corporation" with your business in terms of LLC, Inc.... etc. But that's just for the business.

For the use of terms... logos... names... brands... etc. It is my understanding that Trademarking the name prevents any others from using it and there are a range of rules governing what qualifies as a trademark. My first thought was that Initials cannot be trademarked ~ but then again ~ I believe that TCB is trademarked by Elvis Presley Enterprises....

Your best bet is to consult a lawyer specializing in this sort of thing. It may seem pricey at first... but will save you fees, time, and frustration if you are actually considering cease and desist action against others at some point.

I'm not a lawyer ~ but have been consulting one regarding establishing my business. Which, by the way, has no name.... because all the "good ones" are taken!

hope this helps...

kate

***armstrong*** · 03-13-2005, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by andriegel

How Can you register a GTA name- isn't Grand Theft Auto (The video Game) already copywrighted?

That's why I asked what GTA stands for. If he says it stands for "Grand Theft Auto", then I don't think you can get a trademark for GTA-anything. If it were "Great Travel Advisors" and your website has nothing to do with the videogame industry, then you can probably trademark GTACentral.

03-12-2005, 08:43 PM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
Ringr Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,381	Copyright Questions.. please read/help This kind of fits under the "development concepts" of the "website development" forum. So here goes my question: Okay, my host is a smart guy, he knows like 4 languages and he's pretty familiar with legal stuff too. Anyways, he said that if I bought a copyright for about $600 - I could copyright my website's name, and that would mean that anyone else using the same name as my website would be legally forced to change their name or abandon their project. To make a long story short, I own GTACentral.com - and now there's about 100,000 GTA Central's. There's GTACentral.net, GTA-C.com, GTA-Central.com, and there's even more than I can't think of right now! Anyways, if I wanted to secure my name and legally own the rights to the name "GTA Central" could I do this by buying a $600 copyright? According to my host, he said I could because that's "what he did" so that "no one else could copy the name of his hosting company". ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/website-development/74940-copyright-questions-please-read-help.html Please share thoughts.

03-12-2005, 09:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
*armstrong* Man from Manila Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Net Posts: 6,022	What does GTA stand for? __________________ Apollo's excellent 3-letter .BIZ auction; $1 starting bid!

03-12-2005, 09:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
majinbuu1023 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 3,746	you should register it, then all the other gta centrals will have to change their name __________________ WowHumor.net - Funny World of Warcraft Pictures

03-12-2005, 10:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
majinbuu1023 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 3,746	oh,oops, well then you should register it __________________ WowHumor.net - Funny World of Warcraft Pictures

03-13-2005, 08:50 AM	#8 (permalink)
katieb First Time Poster! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1	Grey area.... It actually depends on which country your business is registered in. It also depends on if you have formed some sort of "corporation" with your business in terms of LLC, Inc.... etc. But that's just for the business. For the use of terms... logos... names... brands... etc. It is my understanding that Trademarking the name prevents any others from using it and there are a range of rules governing what qualifies as a trademark. My first thought was that Initials cannot be trademarked ~ but then again ~ I believe that TCB is trademarked by Elvis Presley Enterprises.... Your best bet is to consult a lawyer specializing in this sort of thing. It may seem pricey at first... but will save you fees, time, and frustration if you are actually considering cease and desist action against others at some point. I'm not a lawyer ~ but have been consulting one regarding establishing my business. Which, by the way, has no name.... because all the "good ones" are taken! hope this helps... kate

03-12-2005, 09:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheBrigade Account Closed Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 778	Grand theft auto?

03-12-2005, 09:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
TheBrigade Account Closed Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 778	Thats what hes asking.

03-12-2005, 10:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
andriegel Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Palm Springs Posts: 1,262	How Can you register a GTA name- isn't Grand Theft Auto (The video Game) already copywrighted?

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Copyright Questions.. please read/help

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