Using Copyright Law to Fight Cybergripers

• Posted by Geoffrey G. Gussis on May 1st, 2005


• Filed in Guides, Tips and Practice Pointers, IT/Software/Internet, Intellectual Property, Litigation

If your company hasn’t faced a "cybergriper" yet you should count your blessings.  Cybergripers are often disaffected employees who are eager to share their criticism of your company’s practices as online retribution for a perceived wrong (e.g., loss of employment, etc.).  These employees set up websites with catchy names (e.g., yourcompanynamesucks.com) and rely on their First Amendment rights to thwart challenges to their operation.  Shutting down cybergripers is difficult as most are careful not to infringe on intellectual property rights.  However, some are tripped up and copyright law is an area that may come in handy when you are trying to thwart a cybergriper’s attacks.

Eric Goldman has a recent post on how the Walmart Foundation used copyright law to challenge a cybergripe website.