Apple Wins Ownership of iDevice-Related Domains Linked to Adult Content

[Michael Essany]

On November 3rd, MMi reported that Apple had brought legal proceedings against the owners of a number of web domains aiming to capitalize on the name-brand power of Apple's most famous products - particularly the iPhone 4S. Thanks in no small part to Apple failing to secure the domain name iPhone4s.com, the ownership of that hot digital real estate fell into "the wrong hands."

To remedy the situation, Apple filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Forum to begin the processes of claiming ownership of the various domains that deploy the term “iPhone” and then forward visitors to a mobile service that offers adult content. Although we won't list the domain names here, we can tell you that each of the names incorporate the iPhone 4s moniker into their titles.

We can now report that's Apple's efforts to gain control of the domains have been fruitful. The seven domains in question have now been parked in Cupertino. According to information published Tuesday by DomainNameWire, Apple "terminated the case after the owner of the domains agreed to turn the domain names over."

Although few doubted Apple's ability to resolve this issue in its favor, many are surprised with how quickly the events transpired. In less than three weeks, the offending domain names were pulled and placed under the control of the Cupertino, California-based tech giant.

Source: Domain Name Wire

[malachi_khan]

Trust apple to do that

[sirbebe]

**** * Pay me that's what I would of told apple!!!

[bish0p34]

It's a shame how courts bend over backwards and ignore the law to give apple whatever they want.

[sirbebe]

It's a shame how courts bend over backwards and ignore the law to give apple whatever they want.

It's sounds More like the holder rolled over on his own. But I'm sure the court might of had a bit of influence in the matter.

[maddawg05]

Not advocating porn sites but those guys wussed out and who can blame them... Apple's got the cha chings.

[sziklassy]

This is a tough one, I think. If the website(s) was/were something like iphoneporn.com, I get it (after all, the very site we are all posting on had the same issues a few uyears back). If it was something like iporn.com, I am not sure I can agree with these verditcs.

[bish0p34]

It's sounds More like the holder rolled over on his own. But I'm sure the court might of had a bit of influence in the matter.

I read that. It's just the fact that this even got to court. Someone got the Internet domain name first, and that's it. Apple wants those names? Pay up! There should be no legal option to sue because apple was too slow on the ball. All this does is reaffirm that justice is for sale to the highest bidder.

[DaLsim]

**** *Pay me that's what I would of told apple!!!

if i own that **** **** CRAPple pay me tripple...

[Michael69]

It's a shame how courts bend over backwards and ignore the law to give apple whatever they want.

And what law would that be? Freedom of speech? Press? Slander maybe? To take a patented name and use it for purposes other than specified hardly gives the accused user any rights. Maybe I'll take your name and link it to an al quida (spelling) site and see how upset you get.

[P99]

**** * Pay me that's what I would of told apple!!!

Can't. A domain can be snatched from you unless if you've already made a sale through the website. That's the way the internet tries to rid themselves of domain squatters who hurry and purchase company or product names in a domain to resell corporations their names back at top dollar. It's profitable but the websites in question probably didn't make a sale, or they just got raped by the big Apple attorneys.