A web site has been launched in protest against EasyGroup, the
company behind EasyJet and the spin-off car rental and internet
café chains, and its policy of taking legal action against the use
of the word “easy” as a prefix to any other business name.
EasyGroup has already won a number of domain name transfers before
panels of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and
the UK courts on the grounds that other “easy” businesses are
infringing its trade marks and trying to pass themselves off as
being associated with EasyGroup.
A web site called easyprotest.com has been set up “to promote
awareness of the plight of businesses who use or may be planning to
use the term “easy” within their trading or domain names.” It aims
to advise companies and individuals of their legal rights in
relation to defending themselves against the threat of litigation
and offer support, guidance and access to information that will
assist in their defence and planning.
The new site is backed by Easy Car, a European car rental
service which is presently fighting EasyGroup in the UK courts, and
Easyspace, an internet hosting company.
Some businesses taken before WIPO panels for alleged
cybersquatting have successfully argued that their use of a generic
word is entirely legitimate. Tim Holt, who was challenged for the
name easy-jet.com, won his case before WIPO on the grounds that he
planned to use the domain name for a business selling ink-jet
refills.
