Kanye West v. Coinye - Amended Complaint
49
Case 1:14-cv-00250-AT Document 17 Filed 03/03/14 Page 1 of 49
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Kanye West sues 0DayCoins.com and Amazon.com to enjoin use of the name "Coinye West" in commerce with a new cryptocurrency. The lawsuit alleges trademark infringement and trademark dilution under the Lanham Act and violations of Kanye's right of publicity under New York's Civil Rights Law. West also brings an action under the Anti-Cybersquatting Protection Act. Amazon is sued for contributory infringement. Mark's notes:Trademark infringement requires that the plaintiff show a likelihood of confusion - that is, consumers are likely to be confused that Kanye is associated with Coinye. Evidence of actual confusion is not required, and often a plaintiff is not able to show actual evidence. In this complaint, however, West shows numerous tweets by individuals who thought that the Coinye West currency was Kanye's.Trademark dilution does not require a likelihood of confusion, but rather a showing that the allegedly diluting use will blur or tarnish a famous trademark. New York Civil Rights Law 51 is a right of publicity law, but many consider it a right of privacy law. It applies only to unauthorized uses of one's name or likeliness in connection with trade or advertising. A cryptocurrency is one instance I can think of that likely constitutes "trade" as opposed to advertising or a general commercial use.This is an amended complaint. West had added names that were obtained as a result of a prior motion for expedited discovery. Amazon.com is no longer a party. It is unclear whether there can be a cause of action against Amazon.com for contributory trademark infringement, even if the use is infringing. There is no statutory regime that grants a website immunity for trademark infringement. The DMCA applies only to copyright, and the Community Decency Act does not apply to intellectual property. For informational purposes only. Not legal advice. I am not representing any parties in this action. For more information about our practice, see: http://torekeland.com/about/mark-h-jaffeand legal tidbits on my twitter feed:@MarkJKings