08.30.04
What is Fair Use?
I got it! I got it! I finally got my first one!
Because of the content on this page: Order Somewhere Chaos + karmann-ghia + vic I got my own…
Trademark Infringement Notification!
Woooooooooooooo-hoooooooooooooooo!
No one less than Volkswagen AG of Wolfsburg Germany found that my world-renowned site was an affront to their right to not have to spend money on lawyers.
If I may quote:
Dear Mr. Olson,
we have discovered that under the internet-address: “www.ordersomewherechaos.com” a blank form titled with “Fahrzeug-Identitäts-Urkunde der Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen” can be found. Right beside this title the trademark “VW in circle” is set. There has been no authorization in what way soever between you and the Volkswagen AG to behave in the just described manner.
[…]
By delivering such a blank form via the internet people may get mixed up concerning the origin of this formular. In addition to this the trademark “VW in circle” itself will be diluted. Last but not least the good reputation that consumers associate with this trademark will be dwarfed.”
I realize this is easy to pick on, and I certainly couldn’t write anything coherent in German, but the letter is so funny.
More to the point, it seems odd that having a copy of a form that will be sent out to people would be a trademark issue. Since I’m reporting what was delivered to a member of my ‘audience’, this is fully under US Fair Use laws.
I mean, I’ll take it off, no problem for me, but really, this seems odd and funny.