Om Malik vs. Sushubh on BroadbandBlog.in
There is this guy in the USA: Om Malik. He owns the Blogs GigaOm.com and BroadbandBlog.com. Good enough. 2 days back I was looking for a Blog name to represent broadband in India. Obviously, I tried to find BroadbandBlog.in. Surprisingly, I found it to be available and bought it.
Now, I own TechWhack. It hosts a Blog on broadband and telecom. I moved some of the posts from TechWhack to Broadbandblog.in. Now, the latest news I am hearing is that Mr. Om Malik thinks that my actions are infringing his copyright and trademark! And his lawyers are going ‘ape shit about this.’
My questions:
- How come anyone put a trademark on the term Broadband Blog!
- How come I cannot start a Broadband Blog in Indian Domain considering I am living in India and watching the mess the companies have made of Broadband in India!
- Am I supposed to get scared by a dude who writes for a business magazine in the USA?
- What does he think he is or I am? A domain squatter?
Of course, I would leave the domain if he indeed owns ‘Global’ copyright over the term Broadband Blog. If he does… he need to supply me with the documents.
Dear God… Give me some advice!
April 8th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
Dear God… {Ankur Raheja} Give him some advice!
April 8th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
already discussed with the DUDE!
April 8th, 2005 at 01:49 pm
Mr. Om Malik can suck my chocolate salty balls!
April 8th, 2005 at 02:39 pm
ur balls are chocolaty? :O
April 8th, 2005 at 02:40 pm
You want a taste??
April 8th, 2005 at 02:41 pm
nope
i just had lamb yesterday and i think i prefer that taste!
April 8th, 2005 at 02:42 pm
You mean lamb testicles??
April 8th, 2005 at 02:44 pm
heh. i could not recognise the various elements of my dinner
April 9th, 2005 at 06:23 am
Sushubh,
Which registrar do you use for .in domains.
Pankaj
April 10th, 2005 at 09:08 am
talk with your lawyers, i guess is the most prudent solution now.
April 10th, 2005 at 12:51 pm
why should i? he has no reasons to even serve me a notice.
April 10th, 2005 at 01:02 pm
@ Pankaj Narula:
Good Luck Domains
Do not laugh please. I feel weird as well…
April 10th, 2005 at 02:45 pm
Okay, I dont know much about the legality of it and I bet Indian Cyberlaws arent very good ones, but my 1st instinct would be to cut my losses and just leave it be. Maybe dealing with this Om Malik fellow will be more trouble and expense than the service itself is worth.
I mean if the guy is willing to take legal action against u for no good reason then I dont think the services provided by his site(s) will be too good either.
But if you do find someone who knows his/her way around this stuff and you’re willing to take a risk, then kick om malik’s ‘bitchy little a$$’
April 10th, 2005 at 03:01 pm
from what i know. he is just an ABCD who thinks every indian is a piece of shit who can be manipulated by a simple threat as he tried with me. he is welcome to send me any legal document proving that he owns the global copyright on the terms “broadband blog” and i will see what i can do to please him.
i never intended to take away anything he owns. i have been writing on broadband (epecially in india) since a long time. and being an indian, i think i deserve the .in domain legitimately.
April 11th, 2005 at 12:51 am
okay, i’ve been on an internet hiatus for some time now, but this brought me back.
He cannot own global copyright of any commonly used words. (but depends on the court of law if they think “broadband” and “blog” are common words) If he is able to convince that he has invented these words, or used them in conjunction for the first time, you lose… otherwise -
HE has to prove that your website is directly infringing upon his business, and that as such the existence of broadbandblog.in will make him lose customers/busness/goodwill with customers. Or he has simply to prove that your website was registered with malicious intent to play on his name or to take a chunk of his business away.
The worst you can get is orders to cease using the domain name. NO ONE has a right over type of content.
You might want to talk to a lawyer type guy though.
April 11th, 2005 at 10:54 am
and i thought u were studying cyber law
April 12th, 2005 at 12:06 am
i’m still studying dude, can’t practice and stuff.
April 12th, 2005 at 12:25 am
but u do know the law
April 12th, 2005 at 01:05 am
Sam really knows well…
So whats the latest ???
Did Mr Malik provided with any info… what exact rights he owns in these words or Domain name.
Instead of he serving you a legal notice, you can serve him with Legal Notice for unnecessary harasment
April 12th, 2005 at 01:37 am
well i am yet to recieve anything from him. dr. puri just told me that he is pissed off at me for starting that website.
now do i care? nope. why should i…
April 12th, 2005 at 02:09 am
Things seemed so…
March 23rd, 2007 at 06:25 pm
I think Sam is pretty accurate. I think the dude would have one hell of a time trying to prove that “BroadbandBlog” is his unique creation. It’s like claiming “Ice-dream service” is someone’s creative property. I would relax and if that dude wants to waste his money, let him.
Besides, as far as I can tell, he doesn’t even have a business by the name of “BroadbandBlog” so what damages is he going to sue for??