Sony Loses Domain Name Lawsuit

[RJ]

By: Kevin Gifford, Gamers.com August 13, 2003 5:22 PM PDT

The South China Morning Post newspaper reported today that Sony Computer Entertainment has lost an arbitration case in Hong Kong involving the domain name ps.com.hk, registered by a local businessman in 2000.
Acccording to the report, SCE filed lawsuits earlier this year against three different companies: Fortune Success Trading, Innovative Polymer Solutions, and Rainbow International Industrial, all operated by venture capitalist David Woo. SCE claimed in the suit that ps.com.hk, a domain all three companies used, was too close to the initials of the PlayStation console.

However, in a ruling last week, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) declared that Woo had a right to the domain because it also served as an abbreviation for Innovative Polymer Solutions. "The court recognized that I am not running a paper company to sell domain names, but a full business operation," Woo told the Post newspaper.

In a statement to the NewsNet Asia service, a Sony Computer Entertainment representative in Tokyo called the ruling "regrettable" and said that the company is considering an appeal. "We take legal measures against any trademark or domain name that could have a negative impact on our business, no matter how big or small the problem is," the representative said.

 

[DSL]

Sucks for Sony.

 

[RJ]

Don't you think they were overreaching a bit when they imply that no other company should be able to use the initials P.S.? They went after a paper manufacturer for goodness sake.

 

[DSL]

Even if your domain is close to that of a company the company will try and sue you, its outrageous.

 

[K_atherine]

Thats crazy, poor Sony

 

[Darkfire001]

lol, this is so stupid screw sony. I like sony ussually but this is just BS. I mean common you can copyright the initials PS ecspecially if another company has a valid use for it.

 

[DSL]

lol it is possible.

 

[painperdu]

Originally posted by DaZ884
Even if your domain is close to that of a company the company will try and sue you, its outrageous.

Sad but true.

Corporations have more of a right to exist than humans.

 

[acdwcom]

sony is stupid for trying to pursue that.

 

[KingDon]

Sooner or later legal departments run out of things to shoot at. So they have to reach beyond their obvious targets, they get paid to shoot. If there isn't any noise on the range, people start to wonder why they're there.

 

[Jeff]

Originally posted by KingDon
Sooner or later legal departments run out of things to shoot at. So they have to reach beyond their obvious targets, they get paid to shoot. If there isn't any noise on the range, people start to wonder why they're there.

:hehe:

 

[RJ]

Originally posted by KingDon
Sooner or later legal departments run out of things to shoot at. So they have to reach beyond their obvious targets, they get paid to shoot. If there isn't any noise on the range, people start to wonder why they're there.

Well said, and would explain many of the UDRPs too I'm sure. Most laywers get paid by the number of billable hours they can rack up.