I couldn't help notice a new username here that is slight misspelling of a major brand. There is no real danger of anyone mistaking them for the real thing, and in the few posts I've read from this user they never pretended to be affiliated with the brand. I couldn't find anything in the rules, but I was wondering if there is a policy about this.

Thanks,
Ross

No "policy."

Just common sense says that it wouldn't be wise to actually attempt to impersonate a company. It has happened. They have been banned.

Grazie :pimp:

What company has a user signed up as (mis spelt) ?

The username that originally prompted the question is yahooo. I've since found out there's also a yahoo. I don't think many people are going to think they're talking to Yahoo in either case, and in all the threads I read they never claim or imply to be the real yahoo. But it got be thinking about whether it was appropriate and the possibilities for abuse.

Its funny how "yahoo" is probably ok and will get away with it.... but if someone used something like "dot5hosting" or "rackshack" they wouldnt last 5 minutes :)

My guess would be because its far more unlikely that an Official Yahoo rep would be posting here than an Offical Rackshack rep...;)

If that official Yahoo rep did find WHT, you can bet there would be a C&D on the way...

Interesting, there's a billgates and a cisco registered here. Any chance it's the real Bill and cisco? ;)

You guys do have a point, there's bound to be some kind of legal hot water for using brand names, company names etc.

Yahoo was an expression long before it was a company. That's the difference between using that term and something like dot5.
I could start a company called bob's hosting, would that preclude anyone from using the name Bob on a forum?

Good points blue27.

If you were using Dot5Hosting or Rackshack as your name you would stand to get some serious emails. ;)

You know what's funny (adding on to Blue's point), here if you used "dot5" as a username it would be changed immeadiately, yet Yahoo would be perfectly acceptable. But, if you attempted to use Yahoo on ANY legal document you'd get your butt sued off, however, using dot5 wouldn't get you much of anything... seems a bit bassackwards to me.

Heh, the irony.

Or you could change your first name to dot5hosting or rackshack. Shouldn't be a problem using it on the boards then! :D