Can I legally make a website about boycotting a certain company?
Located in the US. Can I make a website which is specifically aimed at boycotting a certain company?
There is no lawsuit between myself and the company.
There would be no defamation on the website and no editorials or subjective content. There might be links to editorials hosted on other websites. This website content would simply be information about alternatives.
However, I would want the name of the website, including the domain name itself, to have the name of the company this is in reference to. For example (NOT the actual website: boycottstackexchange.com)
united-states website
New contributor
add a comment |
Located in the US. Can I make a website which is specifically aimed at boycotting a certain company?
There is no lawsuit between myself and the company.
There would be no defamation on the website and no editorials or subjective content. There might be links to editorials hosted on other websites. This website content would simply be information about alternatives.
However, I would want the name of the website, including the domain name itself, to have the name of the company this is in reference to. For example (NOT the actual website: boycottstackexchange.com)
united-states website
New contributor
add a comment |
Located in the US. Can I make a website which is specifically aimed at boycotting a certain company?
There is no lawsuit between myself and the company.
There would be no defamation on the website and no editorials or subjective content. There might be links to editorials hosted on other websites. This website content would simply be information about alternatives.
However, I would want the name of the website, including the domain name itself, to have the name of the company this is in reference to. For example (NOT the actual website: boycottstackexchange.com)
united-states website
New contributor
Located in the US. Can I make a website which is specifically aimed at boycotting a certain company?
There is no lawsuit between myself and the company.
There would be no defamation on the website and no editorials or subjective content. There might be links to editorials hosted on other websites. This website content would simply be information about alternatives.
However, I would want the name of the website, including the domain name itself, to have the name of the company this is in reference to. For example (NOT the actual website: boycottstackexchange.com)
united-states website
united-states website
New contributor
New contributor
edited 4 hours ago
David Siegel
9,8741640
9,8741640
New contributor
asked 4 hours ago
FrownFrown
1085
1085
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Yes you can, and you can even include "editorials or subjective content". However, if you include factual statements, or words that imply factual statements, the company could claim that they are false, and therefore defamatory. Indeed they might claim that in any case. If you make no false statements of fact, they should not be able to win a defamation suit, but you might need to spend time and money defending yourself if they choose to sue.
The detailed rules on defamation vary by jurisdiction, in the US by state. But in no US state can defamation be found against a person who neither made nor implied a false statement of fact.
Use of the name of the company, along with "boycott" as in "BoycottXYXCorp.com" would not infringe any trademark XYZ might have. It is clearly Nominative use, as no one could reasonably believe that such a site was run by, sponsored, or endorsed by XYZ. Again, XYZ could always sue, even if they are highly likely to lose quickly.
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "617"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Frown is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2flaw.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f37408%2fcan-i-legally-make-a-website-about-boycotting-a-certain-company%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Yes you can, and you can even include "editorials or subjective content". However, if you include factual statements, or words that imply factual statements, the company could claim that they are false, and therefore defamatory. Indeed they might claim that in any case. If you make no false statements of fact, they should not be able to win a defamation suit, but you might need to spend time and money defending yourself if they choose to sue.
The detailed rules on defamation vary by jurisdiction, in the US by state. But in no US state can defamation be found against a person who neither made nor implied a false statement of fact.
Use of the name of the company, along with "boycott" as in "BoycottXYXCorp.com" would not infringe any trademark XYZ might have. It is clearly Nominative use, as no one could reasonably believe that such a site was run by, sponsored, or endorsed by XYZ. Again, XYZ could always sue, even if they are highly likely to lose quickly.
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
add a comment |
Yes you can, and you can even include "editorials or subjective content". However, if you include factual statements, or words that imply factual statements, the company could claim that they are false, and therefore defamatory. Indeed they might claim that in any case. If you make no false statements of fact, they should not be able to win a defamation suit, but you might need to spend time and money defending yourself if they choose to sue.
The detailed rules on defamation vary by jurisdiction, in the US by state. But in no US state can defamation be found against a person who neither made nor implied a false statement of fact.
Use of the name of the company, along with "boycott" as in "BoycottXYXCorp.com" would not infringe any trademark XYZ might have. It is clearly Nominative use, as no one could reasonably believe that such a site was run by, sponsored, or endorsed by XYZ. Again, XYZ could always sue, even if they are highly likely to lose quickly.
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
add a comment |
Yes you can, and you can even include "editorials or subjective content". However, if you include factual statements, or words that imply factual statements, the company could claim that they are false, and therefore defamatory. Indeed they might claim that in any case. If you make no false statements of fact, they should not be able to win a defamation suit, but you might need to spend time and money defending yourself if they choose to sue.
The detailed rules on defamation vary by jurisdiction, in the US by state. But in no US state can defamation be found against a person who neither made nor implied a false statement of fact.
Use of the name of the company, along with "boycott" as in "BoycottXYXCorp.com" would not infringe any trademark XYZ might have. It is clearly Nominative use, as no one could reasonably believe that such a site was run by, sponsored, or endorsed by XYZ. Again, XYZ could always sue, even if they are highly likely to lose quickly.
Yes you can, and you can even include "editorials or subjective content". However, if you include factual statements, or words that imply factual statements, the company could claim that they are false, and therefore defamatory. Indeed they might claim that in any case. If you make no false statements of fact, they should not be able to win a defamation suit, but you might need to spend time and money defending yourself if they choose to sue.
The detailed rules on defamation vary by jurisdiction, in the US by state. But in no US state can defamation be found against a person who neither made nor implied a false statement of fact.
Use of the name of the company, along with "boycott" as in "BoycottXYXCorp.com" would not infringe any trademark XYZ might have. It is clearly Nominative use, as no one could reasonably believe that such a site was run by, sponsored, or endorsed by XYZ. Again, XYZ could always sue, even if they are highly likely to lose quickly.
edited 4 hours ago
answered 4 hours ago
David SiegelDavid Siegel
9,8741640
9,8741640
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
add a comment |
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
Depending on the state, if the company filed a claim it knew it would lose for the purpose of wasting the defendent's resources, the defendant could retaliate with an anti-SLAPP lawsuit to recover damages and attorney's fees.
– IllusiveBrian
37 mins ago
add a comment |
Frown is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Frown is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Frown is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Frown is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Law Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2flaw.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f37408%2fcan-i-legally-make-a-website-about-boycotting-a-certain-company%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown