Google scolded for “polite trademark bullying” of parody site

Aww, feel bad about it? Quit crying and go find a Google Hug.

Read the whole story

 

[ovan08]

artifex[/url]":1f5mr097]

KyleM[/url]":1f5mr097]Has anyone here actually read the letter from Google? I wouldn't call it bullying at all, in fact, I'd consider it generous and gentle. Read it here https://imgur.com/Km8tYbH

I'd already had concerns from the article saying they used the same about pages, etc. This new information sounds like they were being deliberately deceptive beyond what was needed for parody. Making a WHOIS entry with not only false information, but someone else's information, can definitely get your domain shut down if challenged. And my memory of my business law classes is rather dim, but I do seem to recall that if someone claims to be an agent of yours (the professional profiles mentioned in the letter) and you don't make some attempt to get them to stop once you find out, you can be liable for whatever they claim to be doing on your behalf.

Yeah, I'm all about parody, and I even thought the site was amusing myself, but it sounds like they went way beyond what would be considered typical, or even reasonable, for parody. Even to someone who does a little digging into the website without being aware of Peng! could reasonably guess that the site was a Google-created one, albeit an odd one. I don't see any reason they would need to not only change the WHOIS information, but also create professional profiles for people who don't exist and purport to be developers working on the products listed.

 

[ovan08]

effgee[/url]":34vep04i]

Nonsense. I'll be happy to discuss the matter with you in person one day over a glass/bottle of your favorite beverage. But seeing as that is largely a philosophical matter, this is neither the appropriate forum nor does it lend itself to the potential breadth and scope of such a conversation.

That's actually rather unfortunate, because that sounds like a conversation I'd very much like to be present for. :O