In another interesting twist on the continual problems with the NBC online video upstart Hulu.com, the fine folks at Lulu.com, an online print-on-demand publishing site (and one of my personal favorite sites on the web), has filed suit against the NBC/ News Corp joint venture for trademark infringement, unfair and deceptive trade practices and for federal cyberpiracy.
The suit alleges that NBC/News Corp has “intentionally attempted to create confusion in the marketplace in that the name Hulu represents a definitive encroachment on Lulu’s name.” Lulu also claims that Hulu “identifies various products and services, many of which are related to, and even identical to, the services that Lulu provides”.
The irony here, of course, is that Hulu, in Swahili, translates to “cease and desist” – something that I’m sure the guy who came up with the name thought was hilarious – now, it might not see the light of day, because Lulu is taking the translation very seriously.
via Tech Crunch
3 thoughts on “NBC Sent Cease and Desist, also accused of “Cyberpiracy””
Call me crazy, but I don’t see it – lulu sells self-publishing services, hulu promises to someday let you watch NBC tv shows. Not a lot of overlap there.
@Michael
True, but we don’t know what all NBC is seeking the trademark for.
I can see their being confusion between the name hulu and lulu.