The Domain Magnate blog has a post illustrating one of the major problems faced by trademark owners online—the unauthorized registration by third parties of derivative internet domain names incorporating the trademarked term. In clear cases of unauthorized use or misappropriation of a registered trademark, the trademark owner has several means available to force the infringing user to take down or relinquish the domain, such as ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. However, as Instagram recently learned, some defenses are more creative than others.

Instagram sent a cease and desist letter to the owner of the domain slutsofinstagram.com on the grounds that the domain appears to incorporate the registered INSTAGRAM trademark, and appears to be used in a manner that infringes, dilutes, and tarnishes the reputation of the INSTAGRAM mark. The domain owner responded in epic fashion by explaining that slutsofinstagram was, of course, actually Slütsof in Stagrâm, “an online fantasy series about a princess duck named Slütsof and her adventurous journey across the mystical lands of Stagrâm.” Slütsof is apparently on a quest to find her long-lost brother Whöresof, whose own adventures are chronicled in the companion series Whöresof In Stagrâm, conveniently located at whoresofinstagram.com. Slütsof and Whöresof are still awaiting Instagram’s next move. Read the full article here.

Reposted from Domain Magnate.