This document discusses intellectual property issues related to social media and the internet. It covers trademarks, domain names, copyright, and obtaining rights. Key points include: trademarks do not need to be registered to be protected but registration provides benefits; trademark searches help avoid conflicts; international trademark registration options exist; anti-cybersquatting laws protect against domain name abuse; copyright automatically vests in original creative works; and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act protects online service providers from liability for user content.

1. Social Media and
Intellectual Property
September 22, 2011
Pat Shriver

2. Agenda
 Trademarks and Trademark Protection
 Domain Names
 “Special” Trademark Issues on the Internet
 Copyright Issues
 Obtaining Rights to Intellectual Property

3. What is a Trademark?
 A trademark is a
word
name
symbol
sound, or
color
 that distinguishes goods or services

4. Well-Known Trademarks

5. Other Types of Trademarks
 Coca-cola bottle
 Sounds

6. Unregistered Trademarks
 Under U.S. law, trademarks do not have to
be registered in order to be entitled to
protection
 Unregistered trademarks can and do prevail
over well-known trademarks
 Amazon bookstore
 Who’s Your Patty?

7. Trademark Searches
 US rule – “first to use”
 Search reveals “confusingly similar”
trademarks
 Avoid problems with registration
 Avoid devoting resources to brand
management

8. Trademark Registration Process
 Trademarks are registered with the Patent &
Trademark Office
 State registration is possible
 Application is filed
 Mark (including JPEG of design)
 Description of goods and services
 Specimen of use
 First use date

9. Trademark Registration Process
 Application is reviewed by trademark examiner
 Office Action and responses
 Approval of application
 Publication in Trademark Gazette
 Trademark is registered
 Notice of Allowance for ITU applications
 Process usually takes a minimum of 9 months

10. Maintaining a Registration
 Affidavit of Use and Incontestability filed
between 5th and 6th anniversary
 Affidavit of Use and Renewal filed within 1
year before every 10th anniversary
 Trademark must be in use for all listed goods
or services, or list must be amended

11. Benefits of Trademark Registration
 Prima facie evidence of exclusive rights
 Incontestability
 Constructive notice
 Remedies for infringement under Lanham Act
 Ability to use “®” symbol

12. International Registration
 Trademarks can be registered in other
countries
 EU registration
 Madrid Protocol

13. Trademark Selection
 Arbitrary or fanciful trademarks are best
 “strength” of mark
 Brand consultants
 Trademark searching
 Word marks vs. design marks

14. Domain Name Protection
 Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act
 Uniform Dispute Resolution Procedure
 Generally, anyone who registers a domain
name confusingly similar to a trademark in
bad faith can be required to turn over the
domain name

15. Internet Trademark Issues
 Metatags and search keywords
 Brand-Squatting
 “Sucks” sites
 Parody
 Twitter “impersonation” accounts
 Fair Use

16. Copyright Issues
 Copyright vests in “creative works fixed in a
tangible medium”
 Literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, or other
works
 Copyright in a work is owned by the author
 Exceptions – fair use, assignment

17. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
 Criminalizes the use of anti-circumvention
measures
 MORE IMPORTANTLY, provides protection
for online service providers
 Designation of copyright agent
 Takedown notices

18.  Questions?