According to reports received by the team at the Facebook IM, Chit Chat for Facebook, Facebook is clamping down on webmasters using the brand “Facebook” within their domain names.
Webmasters that own a domain name(s) with “Facebook” in their domain name are being asked to transfer their domain over to Facebook.
“Facebook contacted me requesting the transfer my domain to them and to use an alternative domain.” One source stated.
Whilst requesting – and if necessary, enforcing domains containing trademarks to be transferred over to the trademark owner is nothing new, this is the first reported incident of Facebook has sought after “tier two” domains – whereby the brand Facebook is used with another keyword.
Facebook has in the past targeted “tier one” domains – indeed, back in July 2009 Facebook was granted the domain Facebook.ir by the UN authorities whom deemed that the previous owner registered the domain in “bad faith.”
More recently, in February, many Facebook users were confused when ReadWriteWeb wrote an article about AOL Messenger’s partnership with Facebook allowing users to login to Facebook with AOL Messenger. This article appeared above Facebook for the keyword “Facebook Login” on Google searches resulting in many users being confused even though the ReadWriteWeb website looks nothing like Facebook.
Many Facebook related tools, tips, and login websites, however, use a design very similar to Facebook itself whilst promoting third party applications and news. This may be one motivation for the recent clamp down; however, more likely Facebook is seeking to protect its brand value.
Back in 2003, when the “MSN” Messenger community was at its peak, Microsoft made similar domains on website owners with the brand “MSN” within their domain.
Microsoft received much negative publicity due to its legal heavy handedness in dealing with one Canadian high school student named MikeRowe whose domain MikeRoweSoft caught Microsoft’s attention. A search on Facebook for people named “Ace Book” yields many results – let’s hope Facebook has learnt from Microsoft’s mistakes and treads carefully!
Webmasters are advised to avoid domain names that contain trademarks.
Daniel Offer, partner in the Facebook Chat Client, Chit Chat for Facebook, guest writes for Quick Online Tips.
