Freeforums.net v. Freeforums.org

[ginnj]

Forum URL: Timtebowgals.freeforums.net

We just learned that a new forum with our name has been created on freeforums.org.  This was done intentionally to confuse people and gain traffic off of our site.  How could freeforums allow the same name to be used twice?  The .net v. .org distinction is not enough to keep people from getting confused.  Our forum is also tied to our twitter account.  The name is actually know to be associated with the founders of our site specifically.

Anyway, please advise as to how this could happen?  Do we have any recourse through freeforums?  Help!

[Thomasss]

Well, freeforums.net is a ProBoards domain whereas freeforums.org is not a ProBoards domain and is hosted on another site. There's sadly nothing ProBoards can do.

The best would to contact the site and ask them to change the name, as there's nothing ProBoards can do as they do not host it. IT may be freeforums, however it's not the same domain.

(.net is not the same as .org, two different domains)

[ginnj]

Thank you for your reply. I wish it was better news. No, this was intentional. They won't change the name.

[Former Member]

You could change your name? Not even the timtebowgals part but you could make it boards.net or proboards.com =)

[Celeste]

At the bottom of the rival site there is a link saying "Report Violation". Clicking that link will take you to a support page. Follow the instructions for 'DMCA Requests' to report them to their forum host for copyright violations.

[Michael]

Oct 9, 2013 12:51:30 GMT -8 Celeste said:

At the bottom of the rival site there is a link saying "Report Violation". Clicking that link will take you to a support page. Follow the instructions for 'DMCA Requests' to report them to their forum host for copyright violations.

Creating a site with a similar name is not a DMCA Violation in itself unless the user in question owns the copyright to the name, or some other aspect of the design. 

Please note that filing a false DMCA claim can result in monetary damages being sought against the person who falsely filed the claim, or other court sanctions (you must certify that under penalty of perjury that the claim is not false before submission).

It is also important to mention that no one here is a lawyer, and qualified to dispense legal advice. For further assistance, you should consult proper council. 

[Celeste]

Thanks for correcting and clarifying, Michael.

[ginnj]

Thank you all so much! Worse case I will change the domain name. Is that difficult to do?

[Thomasss]

Oct 9, 2013 15:15:53 GMT -8 ginnj said:

Thank you all so much! Worse case I will change the domain name. Is that difficult to do?

Not at all, however it has a fee with it. 


Go here:

Admin >> Upgrades >> Change Domain. Follow directions from there.

[ginnj]

As a follow up...would they be able to change their domain to match ours as well?

[Michael]

Oct 9, 2013 16:05:16 GMT -8 ginnj said:

As a follow up...would they be able to change their domain to match ours as well?

Depends on the domain. If its a .proboards domain it would be impossible to copy that portion of the domain unless their forum was hosted with us. 

[ginnj]

To clarify...if we change ours to timtebowgals.proboards.com someone with a freeforums.org timtebowgals forum could not copy to ProBoards.net to .org. Is that correct?

[Former Member]

There are no other proboards.anything that I'm aware of besides .com

[ginnj]

Oct 9, 2013 15:18:29 GMT -8 Thomasss said:

Oct 9, 2013 15:15:53 GMT -8 ginnj said:

Thank you all so much! Worse case I will change the domain name. Is that difficult to do?

Not at all, however it has a fee with it. 


Go here:

Admin >> Upgrades >> Change Domain. Follow directions from there.

Hello...I don't see Change Domain.  I see Custom Domains and Change Forum URL.  Which do I use?

[ginnj]

Just curious...it looks like this person also bought/registered timtebowgals.com. They really went all out with our name. Is there a way to find out when that was registered/bought? Thanks for your help.