The Minneapolis-based National Arbitration Forum has awarded the Internet domain name willsmith.tv. to actor/rapper Will Smith.
Smith had filed a complaint with the board back in October saying Barney Rubble of Vancouver, British Columbia, had registered the domain but was using it to advertise objectionable products and services.
The forum ruled willsmith.tv was "confusingly similar" to the Will Smith trademark registered by the "Men in Black Star" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in February 2002.
The arbitrator also ruled Barney Rubble was using Smith's name in bad faith for his own commercial gain. Rubble had tried to sell the domain name to Smith, the forum said in a release announcing its decision.
The National Arbitration Forum decides more than 1,000 Internet domain disputes annually.
Source : United International Press
Smith had filed a complaint with the board back in October saying Barney Rubble of Vancouver, British Columbia, had registered the domain but was using it to advertise objectionable products and services.
The forum ruled willsmith.tv was "confusingly similar" to the Will Smith trademark registered by the "Men in Black Star" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in February 2002.
The arbitrator also ruled Barney Rubble was using Smith's name in bad faith for his own commercial gain. Rubble had tried to sell the domain name to Smith, the forum said in a release announcing its decision.
The National Arbitration Forum decides more than 1,000 Internet domain disputes annually.
Source : United International Press
