copycat forum?

[grimois]

Forum URL: downatthemac.proboards.com

Quick question - is there anything stopping someone from creating another proboards forum deliberately designed to have an almost identical look and feel, the same target audience and a deliberately similar name to a proboards forum that is long established?

downatthemac.proboards.com has been in existence for years, but a disgruntled (and now banned) member has registered www.downatthemac.com and is diverting that URL to terrierspirit.boards.net/

Is this permitted? It's effectively a clone of the original site.

Thanks

[Caajscot (John)]

Jun 25, 2018 4:47:27 GMT -8 grimois said:

Forum URL: downatthemac.proboards.com

Quick question - is there anything stopping someone from creating another proboards forum deliberately designed to have an almost identical look and feel, the same target audience and a deliberately similar name to a proboards forum that is long established?

downatthemac.proboards.com has been in existence for years, but a disgruntled (and now banned) member has registered www.downatthemac.com and is diverting that URL to terrierspirit.boards.net/

Is this permitted? It's effectively a clone of the original site.

Thanks

Hi, this sounds like something like this Copycat Forum

This thread above may help in you resolving the issue that you posted, if not then wait for the Admin/Mod's reply. 

[Craig]

Hi.

It's a difficult one to judge because obviously there are many sites about the same subject out there, and many sites get inspiration - whilst not directly copying - from other sites. Having a quick look at the respective forums, apart from them both being about the terriers, they are not that similar. The questionable thing, however, is what they have as the title, i suppose.

You are welcome to submit an abuse report, and the team will take a look and see if it violates the terms of service.

Craig

[Retread]

Jun 25, 2018 4:47:27 GMT -8 grimois said:

Forum URL: downatthemac.proboards.com

Quick question - is there anything stopping someone from creating another proboards forum deliberately designed to have an almost identical look and feel, the same target audience and a deliberately similar name to a proboards forum that is long established?

downatthemac.proboards.com has been in existence for years, but a disgruntled (and now banned) member has registered www.downatthemac.com and is diverting that URL to terrierspirit.boards.net/

Is this permitted? It's effectively a clone of the original site.

Thanks

Hello grimois and Welcome to the ProBoards family!

In my humble opinion the "look and feel" seems completely different. The other forum to which you linked is plain vanilla with only three boards. There is definitely nothing objectionable with any number of forums competing for the same audience, regardless of who was first. The name seems the only area where you might have a complaint.

[grimois]

That's my main concern - it's the possibility that folk may end up at the new site having intended to visit the original.

It's akin, in my mind, to launching a brand called Cola-Coca....

[grimois]

Jun 25, 2018 5:40:12 GMT -8 Craig said:

Hi.

It's a difficult one to judge because obviously there are many sites about the same subject out there, and many sites get inspiration - whilst not directly copying - from other sites. Having a quick look at the respective forums, apart from them both being about the terriers, they are not that similar. The questionable thing, however, is what they have as the title, i suppose.

You are welcome to submit an abuse report, and the team will take a look and see if it violates the terms of service.

Craig

hi Craig - thanks for the advice - do I do that on the support forum or from one of the two forums I mentioned?

[Retread]

If you want to initiate an Abuse Report you would do that on the forum you're reporting.

You'll see something like this at the bottom of the page on ProBoards forums. I added the red arrow.

[grimois]

Jun 25, 2018 5:40:12 GMT -8 Craig said:

Hi.

It's a difficult one to judge because obviously there are many sites about the same subject out there, and many sites get inspiration - whilst not directly copying - from other sites. Having a quick look at the respective forums, apart from them both being about the terriers, they are not that similar. The questionable thing, however, is what they have as the title, i suppose.

You are welcome to submit an abuse report, and the team will take a look and see if it violates the terms of service.

Craig

I have, they did, it did and it's gone....

[marcuspd2000]

Jun 26, 2018 0:07:22 GMT -8 grimois said:

Jun 25, 2018 5:40:12 GMT -8 Craig said:

Hi.

It's a difficult one to judge because obviously there are many sites about the same subject out there, and many sites get inspiration - whilst not directly copying - from other sites. Having a quick look at the respective forums, apart from them both being about the terriers, they are not that similar. The questionable thing, however, is what they have as the title, i suppose.

You are welcome to submit an abuse report, and the team will take a look and see if it violates the terms of service.

Craig

I have, they did, it did and it's gone....

For now Grimflake. You don't own the name "downatthemac.com" and should just accept a rival version of your site.

People are getting fed up with your abuse of the Proboards admin system, which you've once again used to get your own way, by cheating your way through life again.

There will be a new one setup elsewhere.