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You can't tell a cease and desist letter from a lawsuit, dean?<br>
<br>
The whole idea of creating a product/service with someone else's
trademark must have felt like a horrible idea in the first place.<br>
Second, this is a paid application that must have pissed off twitter
even more. As the mashable link states, twitter isnt out to <br>
wage war on its community. They want YOU to stop helping people who
annoy the community. You were really hoping for <br>
something on the lines of #savejon didn't you? <br>
<br>
If you didn't understand the situation, let me put it in plain english:
Dean, get rid of the damn website service and the website, let the
domain expire, <br>
and they won't do anything to you. <br>
<br>
<br>
Travis Russell wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:e9bc2a070908120633x607a8d4cgc18f5bf7a5478934@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">OMG shock, a guy who builds an app to facilitate spamming has been
spamming the internet with his pathetic sob story. And his story
misrepresents the truth? For shame, Mr. Butler.
When that Nigerian prince finally sends me my reward money I'm so
gonna spend it on dealing with this spam stuff on the internet.
On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 9:05 AM, Dipen<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dipench@gmail.com"><dipench@gmail.com></a> wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Oh and I found u on mashable -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://mashable.com/2009/08/12/twitter-not-suing-developer/">http://mashable.com/2009/08/12/twitter-not-suing-developer/</a>
On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 2:39 PM, fgm <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:fgm@osinet.fr"><fgm@osinet.fr></a> wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Well, use of a TM in a domain name really is a recipe for problems. And
they haven't even suspended the account (yet). Doesn't seem too illogical.
________________________________________
De : <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:development-bounces@drupal.org">development-bounces@drupal.org</a> [<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:development-bounces@drupal.org">development-bounces@drupal.org</a>] de la
part de Dean Collins [<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Dean@cognation.net">Dean@cognation.net</a>]
Date d'envoi : mercredi 12 août 2009 07:27
À : <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:development@drupal.org">development@drupal.org</a>
Objet : [development] FW: Twitter is Suing me!!!
This isn’t Drupal related but I figure several developers on this list
have built apps for Twitter (or other 3rd party API’s).
Just found out a few hours ago I’m being sued by Twitter
Feel free to tweet this link (
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.MyTwitterButler.com/I’m_Being_Sued">www.MyTwitterButler.com/I’m_Being_Sued</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/I'm_Being_Sued"><http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/I'm_Being_Sued></a>
) or forward on the link to any journalists you know.
If you are on dig here’s a dig link.
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://digg.com/software/My_Twitter_Butler_I_m_Being_Sued">http://digg.com/software/My_Twitter_Butler_I_m_Being_Sued</a>
Regards,
Dean Collins
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com">dean@MyTwitterButler.com</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com?subject=I'm%20being%20Sued"><mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com?subject=I'm%20being%20Sued></a>
+1-212-203-4357 New York
+61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial).
+44-20-3129-6001 (London in-dial).
________________________________
From: Dean Collins
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:37 PM
Subject: Twitter is Suing me!!!
So not only are Twitter fighting battles with Russian hackers they are now
fighting their own third party API developer community !!
I received this email 30 minutes ago stating that Twitter is suing me??
Basically they feel that my application -
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.MyTwitterButler.com">www.MyTwitterButler.com</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/"><http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/></a> does the following.
1/ That anyone using the API to auto follow people are breaching the TOS??
2/ That no one can use the word “Twitter” in their domain
3/ That somehow people might be confused my application is related to
twitter even though every page is labeled
“Copyright 2009 © My Twitter Butler - Not related in anyway to Twitter
Inc, if I owned Twitter would i be spending my time building this app??
Is this the end for Twitter 3rd party developers?
Have they forgotten that it was people like me who saw a need and built an
application using the publicly defined Twitter API to add value to the
Twitter ecosystem?
I have asked Twitters lawyers for a conference call tomorrow to clear up
‘WHY’ they feel anyone using the twitter API to auto follow people is an
illegal act and will be looking forward to their answers about ‘WHY’ the
twitter API was built in the first place if they want to sue people for
using it.
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.MyTwitterButler.com/I’m_Being_Sued">www.MyTwitterButler.com/I’m_Being_Sued</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/I'm_Being_Sued"><http://www.mytwitterbutler.com/I'm_Being_Sued></a>
Regards,
Dean Collins
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com">dean@MyTwitterButler.com</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com"><mailto:dean@MyTwitterButler.com></a>
+1-212-203-4357 New York
+61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial).
+44-20-3129-6001 (London in-dial).
FENWICK & WEST LLP
SILICON VALLEY CENTER 801 CALI FORN IA STREET MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94041
TEL 650.988.8500 FAX 650.938.5200 <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://WWW.FENWICK.COM">WWW.FENWICK.COM</a>
August 11, 2009
KAREN WEBB
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL AND EMAIL
Dean Collins
Attn: MyTwitterButler.com
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dean@cognation.net">dean@cognation.net</a>
Re: Infringement of Twitter, Inc.'s Trademark Rights
Dear Mr. Collins:
EMAIL <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:KWEBB@FENWICK.COM">KWEBB@FENWICK.COM</a>
DIRECT DIAL (650) 335·7656
This firm represents Twitter, Inc. ("Twitter"), owner of the TWITTER
trademark and
the popular social networking and micro-blogging website at
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.twitter.com">www.twitter.com</a>. We are
contacting you regarding your violation of Twitter's Terms of Service
("TOS") and spam
rules, and your infringement of Twitter's trademark rights.
Twitter has recently become aware that you have registered and are using
the
MyTwitterButler.com domain, where you advertise and offer for sale the "My
Twitter Butler"
software that facilitates aggressive and automatic following to Twitter
users. On your website
you also claim to have used the same aggressive following techniques. This
activity violates
Twitter's TOS and rules.
In addition to the above violations, you are also infringing on Twitter's
trademark
rights by using the MyTwitterButler.com domain and the TWITTER trademark.
As you are
likely aware, Twitter's extensive and widespread use of its TWITTER
trademark provides
Twitter with strong and defensible rights in the mark, and has caused the
mark to become
well-known, if not famous, in today's online marketplace. Twitter owns
trademark
applications and registrations for its mark in the United States and
numerous other countries
for use in connection with its online services, which will provide Twitter
with exclusive rights
in the mark.
Twitter has expended significant time and financial resources to build up
the
considerable customer recognition and goodwill related to its valuable
TWITTER mark. In
addition, in order to protect its investment and valuable intellectual
property rights in its
trademark, Twitter is required to prevent others from infringing or
diluting the value of its
brand. In light of the importance and distinctiveness of the mark and the
strength of Twitter's
legal rights to its valuable intellectual property, please be advised that
Twitter is determined to
take whatever steps are necessary to protect its rights in the mark.
Having said that, at this time, we are willing to assume that you did not
choose to
misuse Twitter's trademark with the conscious intent of infringing
Twitter's rights or trading
off of Twitter's goodwill. Twitter is concerned, however, that your use of
My Twitter Butler
and the related domain may cause confusion in the marketplace by
suggesting that you and
your site are somehow affiliated with Twitter, or are endorsed, sponsored,
or approved by
Twitter, which would result in an infringement of Twitter's valuable
trademark rights.
In light of the above, we must demand that you immediately:
1. deactivate the MyTwitterButler.com website;
2. transfer the MyTwitterButler.com domain to Twitter;
3. comply with Twitter's TOS and rules, which includes stopping your
aggressive
and automatic following and offering techniques and software for others to
aggressively or automatically follow; and
4. stop all use of the My Twitter Butler name, the TWITTER mark, or any
other
name, logo, or domain name that includes TWITTER or any confusingly
similar
term.
Please respond to me no later than August 24, 2009, to confirm that you
have
complied with these demands and to obtain domain transfer instructions.
Twitter is hopeful
that this matter can be resolved quickly and amicably. If, however, you do
not comply with
these requests, Twitter will be forced to consider suspending your Twitter
accounts and take
such steps as it deems necessary to protect its intellectual property
rights.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
KAW
________________________________
From: Karen Webb [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:KWebb@fenwick.com">mailto:KWebb@fenwick.com</a>]
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:55 PM
To: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:de5ffa48513f2670-348777@privacy.no-ip.com">de5ffa48513f2670-348777@privacy.no-ip.com</a>; Dean Collins
Subject: Letter re MyTwitterButler.com
Dear Mr. Collins:
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
Karen Webb
Karen A. Webb | Fenwick & West LLP
801 California St. | Mountain View, CA 94041
T: 650-335-7656 | F: 650-938-5200
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:kwebb@fenwick.com">kwebb@fenwick.com</a><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:kwebb@fenwick.com"><mailto:kwebb@fenwick.com></a>
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communication (including attachments) is not intended or written by Fenwick
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