Topic: Question regarding a name for a website...

Hey inmates,

Serious question here. What could I do if someone registered my name as a .com and is presenting itself to be me? For instance, if I created a domain called www.heathledger.com and put all sorts of info about him, even negative stuff, what can be done to stop this?

It's not my name in question, but a good friend of mines. He used to lead many churches and unfortunately has a bad reputation now thanks to alot of garbage that has been written about him from what appears to be his "official website".

I need to know how to pursue this and shut this site down, or at lease remove slanderous articles written.

Anyone have a clue what I can do?!?!?

THANKS!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybersquatting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Domain-Name_Dispute-Resolution_Policy
http://www.icann.org/en/udrp/udrp-policy-24oct99.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22juliaroberts.com%22

As I understand it, it basically needs to be apparent this person has no legitimate right to this domain, and the process could take a while.

though in most anglo saxon countries you could've sued them into the ground for slander far earlier... seriously, see a lawyer.

I think TP's answer is closer to what you're looking for. Approaching this as as problem of slander is your best bet. It's not illegal to own the domain of someone else's name. That battle was fought in the courts in the late '90s and while some very large and powerful companies (such as Coca-Cola) managed to stomp on some little guys and get them to give up their domain, generally it doesn't happen that you can go to any agency and say, 'That person is using my domain. I want you to shut them down.'

However, there is long standing precedence for stopping people and being awarded damages for lies they may have published about you (or your friend), not matter what medium they are using to publish the slander.

As TP said, seeing a lawyer is your best bet.

.



-- not necessarily stoned... just beautiful.