Swedish ISP Attacks Copyright Trolls Over Trademark Infringement

An anonymous reader shares a TorrentFreak report: Swedish Internet service provider Bahnhof is launching a direct attack against Spridningskollen, the group that's spearheading the copyright trolling efforts in Sweden. Bahnhof accuses the anti-piracy outfit of trademark infringement and demands the shutdown of its website.Firm Spridningskollen, which is one of the top organizations that is helping rightholders in target Sweden plans to target 1,000 alleged pirates, offering them settlements of around $233. The report adds: Spridningskollen spokesman Gordon Odenbark compared the process with speeding cameras, where torrent users risk a 'fine' if they get caught. This will generate revenue, but could also act as a deterrent, preventing other people from violating rightsholders' rights. Interestingly, however, shortly after Spridningskollen announced its plans the group itself faced allegations of intellectual property rights violations. Swedish ISP Bahnhof is accusing the group of trademark infringement, noting that they have a claim on the "spridningskollen" mark. "Bahnhof was the first to apply for the Spridningskollen trademark rights at the Swedish Patent and Registration Office," the ISP announced.

Interesting timeline

[pem]

Spridningskollen.se was registered in May, and Spridningskollen.org was registered...

this month.

Re:

[stealth_finger]

Hi, my is Spridningskollen and I vill be the von helping rightsholders in target Sweden, ja?.

Unless 'target Sweden' is a plan name, in which case /. grammar still sucks.

Target Sweden

[pem]

"Target Sweden" is not a plan name, it's a proper noun. It's understandable that you didn't catch that because the editors didn't capitalize it properly.

I'd tell you where it is, but then we'd have to move it.

Re:

[fustakrakich]

That does not indicate when the trademark was applied for.

No, no, it doesn't

[pem]

Because I thought Occam's Razor fully explained what the answer would be.

But since you pointed out the paucity of my research, I went ahead and spent another 10 minutes on this. I found out that if you enter "Spridningskollen" in the box at:

https://was.prv.se/VarumarkesD... [was.prv.se]

you will, in fact, find out that the trademark was applied for on August 31st.

I know nothing about Swedish trademark law, but most countries are not amused by this sort of stunt.

You're welcome.

Re:

[fustakrakich]

500 - Internal server error.

Ahh, one of those links

[pem]

Sorry bout that.

Try here [www.prv.se].

Scroll down to "Swedish trademark database" and click the link first.

Be warned that it's one of those websites that tries to put your browser to sleep.

Re:

[fustakrakich]

I only meant to point out the difference between registering a web site and registering a trademark, which apparently the copyright troll did not do back in May. I don't know how much prior art applies in trademarks, but according to the summary, "Bahnhof was the first to apply for the Spridningskollen trademark rights at the Swedish Patent and Registration Office,". Before I posted my first comment, I was looking for a trademark registry site, but the ones I found came up with nothing. So, thank you for yo

Re:

[pem]

Now, since the ISP does own the trademark

That assumes facts not yet in evidence. Yes, the ISP has filed an application, but they haven't yet been granted an actual trademark. I have no idea what will happen here, but a lot of courts and national trademark registrars would take a dim view of someone finding out that somebody else just started using a name, and then rushing out and trademarking it and claiming to the world that they were there first.

they do get to decide who can use it, right?

Copyrigh

Re:

[Andtalath]

Bahnhof are a bunch of pranksters.
They do care about personal integrity though, since it's basically their USP.

I did work there for a while, didn't really like the culture.

But, yeah, this is a publicity stunt, which is what brings in customers to them.

They have also criticized what is basically a tax on television by creating a fake tv-channel and lots of other stuff.

They mock the judicial system when it's outdated or just weird regarding IT.

Re:

[arglebargle_xiv]

Bahnhof erbjuder i samarbete med finska F-secure ett sÃkerhetspaket som effektivt skyddar dig frÃ¥n de hoten. Har du flera datorer kan du vÃlja âgrupplicensâ som ger dig tre anvÃndarlicenser

Also ich verstehe nur "Bahnhof".

Re:

[Cederic]

Google translate suggests 'dissemination protocols'.

Catchy website name, I can see why they both want it.

Let me guess...

[penguinoid]

Spridningskollen offered to settle for around $233?

Bahnhof

[muffen]

It's a really good ISP and everyone I know who can use them, is using them. Their argument against this type of companies, who basically give themselves the right to ask random people for arbitrary sums of money, is spot on. Registering spridninskollen.org was a great move. However, the trademark thing is stupid and it won't result in anything negative for spridninskollen, and they should drop that part.