AAA Settles Cybersquatting Dispute
If you are thinking about registering a company trademark under an alternate domain name, think again. The American Automobile Association (AAA) recently sued James Van Johns, a Pennsylvania resident, for violating federal cybersquatting laws. According to the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, a trademark holder can sue anyone who registers or uses a domain name that may confuse consumers or mislead them into believing the website is endorsed by the mark holder. Van Johns had registered the website AAA.net which appeared similar to AAA’s website, AAA.com. This would have likely confused consumers trying to connect with AAA, especially since Van John’s site featured advertisements for AAA’s competitors.
Fortunately, the parties were able to settle and each side paid their own legal fees. As a result of the settlement, Van Johns had to release AAA.net to AAA without any payment. He is further prohibited from registering any other web addresses similar to AAA.
