Is this legal

[rodeo_cowboy]

Yes I bought the domain name little-yahoo.com and wanted to make a website. No place on the website will it say "Yahoo" with out "Little" in front of it. I think it's legal because its not www.yahoo.com but it does contain the word "yahoo" so I just wanted to know before I started spending too much time on my website.

[jkd]

Why is your site called "little-yahoo"? If it is intended as a small search engine, then Yahoo! may be able to claim damages or whatnot. If it is something unrelated though, you should be fine.

[rodeo_cowboy]

well its kinda like yahoo in what it will offer but it will be add free it wont have a WWW search engine just a local seach engine but it will have email, message boards, and chatrooms.

[Spookster]

That's a very gray area. If the company name was more unique like microsoft then it would be a different story. But the word yahoo can be used in many different contexts.

[Spookster]

Originally posted by rodeo_cowboy
well its kinda like yahoo in what it will offer but it will be add free it wont have a WWW search engine just a local seach engine but it will have email, message boards, and chatrooms.

In that case then you are using it in the same context as the company which they could probably file a suit against you.

[Kiwi]

I would be very careful. You are using yahoo in the name and yahoo can therefore build a case that you're trading of their identity. Since they spent a lot of money building that identity, they might expect you to give them some back (ie sue you). I'm sure there's a counter to this argument, but I would be careful.

I would contact a lawyer who specialises in this field if I were you. See what they have to say.

[tommysphone]

Perhaps, only a thought mind, simply sell the concept to Yahoo. They may thank you for it and maybe even pay you?! Worth a shot. I would never encourage messin with anything percieved as a grey area and this is a good way out of it.

Sit down, spec out your idea, target it perhaps aim it at Palm pc users to use. That way Yahoo.com etc is for pc's and little-yahoo.com etc is for handhelds (handheld, little.....) if I was yahoo I'd think about it. If you make millions on it, spare a thought for my brain wave :)

[bcarl314]

Check out this site: http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp-policy-24oct99.htm

Basically there are 3 reasons yahoo could take your domain:

(1) your domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the complainant has rights;

(2) you have no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

(3) your domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

You're going to have problems with 1 and 2 on this one. It may be best to contact yahoo and tell them that you've got the domain and are willing to sell it. (DON'T LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT IS) Typically a big corperation would rather pay a few hundred dollars to just buy the domain outright rather than go through the dispute resolution procedures (which can cost thousands)

[ionsurge]

Try to think of some names that are more distinct to what you are doing, because when people go to your site, they would think that it is a rip-off of Yahoo!, and some may even report you to Yahoo!'s legal services, which will undoubtedly force you to change your content, and or close down your site.

Be careful where you tread, especially seeing as you are treading into the territory of a multimillion dollar company.

If you need any ideas for some names, I will be glad to help.


Ionsurge.