Difference between revisions of "US Copyright and Trademark Use"

Revision as of 00:06, 23 February 2013

Overview

We have a registered trademark on our "Freecycle.org" graphic logo noted below. We do not currently have trademark rights to "FREECYCLE" or the former Freecycle logo which lacked the ".org" portion within the United States. We ask that all continue to use our "Freecycle" name as per the guidelines below so that we don't weaken our new mark which stands solely for our nonprofit mission and volunteer goodwill. Local groups within the United States should only have references to our having a registered trademark in the United States for "Freecycle.org", not for "Freecycle" or the former "Freecycle" logo lacking the ".org". We do have a registered mark in Canada, the EU, Australia and New Zealand as well as a common law mark in various other countries for one or more of these marks.

We are doing a really good thing here. And, we are also learning as we go, which means there will always be evolution and change. Because The Freecycle Network concept is unique and amazingly successful, there are many who have and who would try to use it for personal gain and profit. For that reason, The Freecycle Network is incorporated as a nonprofit organization, and the Freecycle.org® logo is a registered trademark of The Freecycle Network. We need to do our best to properly use the Freecycle.org® trademark so that we don't lose the right to it.

In legalese, the use of the term "Freecycle.org" denotes a gifting service which is officially approved by the nonprofit organization "The Freecycle Network," and one that the public can expect to adhere to certain standards. The Freecycle Network must approve any email list or web site that uses the term "Freecycle.org®" in its name and provides any sort of exchange service.