AfterDawn: News

Apple Vs. iTunes.co.uk

Apple has begun threatening the owner of the itunes.co.uk domain, accusing him of being a cybersquatter. They have taken him to UK registry Nominet looking for ownership of the domain name. The owner is Benjamin Cohen, who just happens to have a father who is a solicitor. Cohen registered the itunes.co.uk domain name on 7th November 2000, whereas Apple were only had the trademark for "iTunes" published in the Trade Marks Journal on 6 December 2000. It was granted a limited trademark that did not cover music products on 23 March 2001, and eventually went live with its iTunes offering in June 2004. Cohen says he had no idea Apple were planning to launch an iTunes service.

So now four years after Cohen registered the itunes.co.uk domain, Apple have decided to try taking the domain name. Two days after Cohen registered the domain he made use of it by forwarding it to a music search engine service at his CyberBritain site. Since November this year, numerous letters have been sent to CyberBritain from Apple, including an offer of a small sum of money for the domain. Now Apple has taken the issue to Nominet, where it will be put through the organization’s domain resolution process. Cohen admits however that if his father was not a solicitor and hadn't explained to him about the laws surrounding this issue, he would have given into pressure from Apple by now. He is confident however, that CyberBritain will win this battle.



Source:
The Register

Written by: James Delahunty @ 6 Dec 2004 17:23

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• 7 comments

• Pop_Smith

  The RIAA/MPAA and now this? Will it ever end? ;)

  6.12.2004 17:35 #1

• MXGzX

  I would ask for a new apple computer.....or at least an ipod in exchange for the site lol

  6.12.2004 20:06 #2

• #afonic

  Don't be dumb! An ipod lol!
  
  I'd ask at least $10,000. They will make more in a month after they get the domain anyway!

  7.12.2004 00:37 #3

• MXGzX

  the site that the little dumbass has
  
  "[he forwarded] it to a music search engine service at his CyberBritain site"
  
  is very lame and the loser should be hurt....his father too...send in the apple grunts to f-him up

  7.12.2004 09:32 #4

• six60six

  he should sell it for 10% of all sales through the domain.

  7.12.2004 12:34 #5

• pcshateme

  he shouldnt have to give it up, he paid for it. Apple can suck it for all i care- if you want the adress dont harass the guy, offer him CASH. that'll shut him up, dont act like a dick about it.

  7.12.2004 12:42 #6

• djscoop

  ha ha. apple seems willing to battle just about anybody for whatever they want.

  7.12.2004 16:48 #7