Craigslist, the fabulously successful Bay area company, has demanded the shutdown and handover of Craigslist fansite Craigslistblog.org.
In a rather hamhanded C&D, Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster writes:
We need you to stop using the infringing domain CRAIGSLISTBLOG.ORG immediately, and arrange for tranfer of it to us asap – using/selling/transfering infringing domains is illegal, and penalties up to $100,000 per domain can be applied.
Regardless of your efforts to find a new domain, you must stop using this one.
The original C&D emails led to a post from Buckmaster on the Craigslist blog and a rather candid response from Tim, the blogger at Craigslistblog.org, asking Buckmaster to step down.
One of the few C&D e-mails I agree with. The name probably infringes on their trademark, and I can see how someone who is too stupid to read unofficial could confuse it with an official blog.
I do find the wording funny though. “arrange for transfer of it to us asap – using/selling/transfering infringing domains is illegal”
So transferring it to craigs list would be illegal according to the e-mail, no?
I would say that the name likely is infringing, yes… I just didn’t like their approach with this overall.
Then again, I’ve done worse in the past.
Matt