| Protecting intellectual property rights should be a | | | | phrase "Google" still would. |
| critical step for any business. With an online business, | | | | Another area that causes some confusion is the |
| protecting a domain name is all the more critical. | | | | suffix of the domain. The suffix is the ending, usually |
| Nothing is more aggravating than having someone | | | | com or net. Can you register a domain and include |
| infringe upon your domain name. The question for | | | | these suffixes? Many are surprised to learn that it is |
| many sites, then, is how to go about protecting the | | | | fairly difficult to do so. Why? Well, none of us have |
| domain. Filing for a trademark is one of the more | | | | any exclusive rights to the "com", "net" or other |
| popular and effective methods, but it is important to | | | | suffixes out there. As such, the Trademark Office |
| understand there are some issues that can come up. | | | | tends to dislike allowing their inclusion in marks. It can |
| First and foremost, a domain name may only be | | | | be done, but you should expect to wrestle with |
| trademarked if it is more than just an address | | | | them over it. |
| pointing people to a site. This is often shown by | | | | A final area of some confusion has to do with |
| matching the domain name to the actual name of the | | | | geographic descriptions. If you use a domain with a |
| business and then incorporating it into the page of | | | | city, state or country in it, you are going to have |
| the site. Let's look at a classic example. | | | | problems. The Trademark Office does not allow |
| Google is obviously a distinct trademark. The title | | | | people to poach upon municipalities or other defined |
| "Google" is a trademarkable domain for two reasons. | | | | areas. Sorry, but you can't register |
| First, it is distinct. Second, it is both the domain name | | | | At the end of the day, trademarking your domain |
| and the name of the business. Let's assume Google | | | | name makes absolute senses if you can meet the |
| was located at a different domain. Say the domain | | | | relevant requirements. Said protection can be a |
| was se3598xeifp[dot]com. This new domain would | | | | powerful tool in helping you fight off third parties |
| not be trademarkable because it did nothing more | | | | trying to poach on your name and reputation. |
| than point the viewer to the site in question. The | | | | |