A celebrity's name as a domain name

[Jebaited]

Can I sell or park it?

 

[Jebaited]

Same name as yours - then you are fine, but if you try to sell it to celebrity, then it is not. 'Intent' that is what matters.

What if I list this domain for public sale and the celebrity wants to buy it?

 

[Grilled]

What if I list this domain for public sale and the celebrity wants to buy it?

If the celebrity isn't offended, and the domain is offered at a reasonably price (less than legal fee's) than the celebrity might buy it to save time.

What if the domain is bought by another domainer, and that domainer is sanctioned to a lawsuit from the celebrity? Will you still be implicated?

 

[Jebaited]

If the celebrity isn't offended, and the domain is offered at a reasonably price (less than legal fee's) than the celebrity might buy it to save time.

What if the domain is bought by another domainer, and that domainer is sanctioned to a lawsuit from the celebrity? Will you still be implicated?

Well, if that domainer is getting sued, it must be his own fault (using celebrity's personality).

 

[frank-germany]

it all depends

my name for example is a mass name like smith / miller

so who is the legit owner?

me.

so if you drop that name let me please know I pay you the reg fee

 

[Lysted]

What if I list this domain for public sale and the celebrity wants to buy it?

I do not think there is any difference between public or private sale. 'Monetary Gains' is the keyword here. You do not have rights to the name if

a) You cannot prove that it is for your own personal use
b) You cannot establish the relationship to the name
c) You cannot prove that it is not registered solely for monetary gains

All three points above point to 'intent'. Not related to celebrity, classical case is 'Nissan dot com', owned by person who ran his business as Nissan computers, and his last name is Nissan as well. Nissan Motors has lost all their cases.

What if the domain is bought by another domainer, and that domainer is sanctioned to a lawsuit from the celebrity? Will you still be implicated?

If you are selling the domain to another domainer, and there are no terms in the sale such as 'you are not aware of trademark violations', you cannot be sued by buyer domainer. If you have legal agreement for sale, make sure to enter the term that violation of agreement (called "severance") is capped by the amount it is sold for.

Celebrity cannot sue you since you are not directly selling to them.

 

[Michael Ehrhardt]

Can I sell or park it?

who decide who is
celebrity ?

BillGates.com is parked at Sedo

 

[equity78]

This seems to be a constant theme, it's all over the place when it comes to celebrity names.

There is no one way, anyone saying otherwise is incorrect, not about opinion.

Some celebrities do not care about domain names and unless you disparage them, their brand or turn it into a porn site, may never contact you.

Others file UDRP and win most but not all of the time.

Some buy the names and include perks.

Some look to sue under the ACPA looking for six figures plus. Remember no one has to go the UDRP route if they want to try to make an example they can go the other route.

IMG worldwide let JohnMadden.com expire, I contacted them and they renewed it on Go Daddy.

If your name is Will Smith and you own WillSmith.com you are ok, just so long as you never contact the actor Will Smith or his people, place ads on the site that deal with Will Smith the actor and his intellectual property. Pretend to be associated with Will Smith the actor.

If you own a name like Gigi Hadid a very unique name you are going to have a problem, more than likely you know no one with that name. Now Gigi's people let her name expire, I contacted them, they did nothing and the name was purchased on Go Daddy auctions. That does not mean the buyer is ok, if her people wake up and want the name, they have options, which option they choose will affect how the seller reacts. If they were to offer cash I think you take it with no counter.

I wrote an article years ago that looked at several different cases, Oliver Stone paying $6,000 and a signed script. Other getting greedy and getting nothing.

You take your chances you are playing with fire if they go the ACPA route, you may get $2,000 or $3,000. You are never getting a huge payday in my opinion, the UDRP route would be much more cost effective for the celebrity.

 

[larryscott2559]

Can I sell or park it?

That would definitely be cybersquatting. If the landing page of that domain has a "For sale" link or sign it will highly be considered cybersquatting. If you are trying to make money from it by using the celebrity in any related term, its cybersquatting. If your website is confusingly similar to the celebrity in question or has anything to do with them it is cybersquatting.

It wouldnt much be considered cybersquatting if you were to say write a blog about insects using that domain, but even then the complainant (assuming if there was one) could possibly still get you to turn over the domain.

It would be wise to let go of the domain.

 

[internext]

You may be able to get away with running a fan forum and claiming "fair use" so long as you dont advertise or sell anything and just do it for the fun. But even that is iffy. Eventually a celebrity will want their name and unless you have the money to defend the name at UDRP (or worse) you will probably lose it. Spare the heartache and leave it alone