Starting a CompanySucks.com type of website, legal?

avatar33

e-Hustler
Dec 5, 2009
3,839
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Calgary, AB
Always wondered... if you start a CompanySucks.com type of website and SEO the shit out of it to rank 1st page for the company name. Can you eventually get raped by the company... legally-speaking? or are you constitutionally protected (free speech)?
 


Let's just take a concrete example... Can I start a website like GoDaddySucks.com (US company)... I would do it under my name and I'm in Canada.
 
paypalsucks.com has been around forever, there's some way they are sticking around legally although I don't remember how exactly.

I noticed! I was actually going to bring this example up in my OP.

I wonder if the owner is chillin' in an island somewhere, safe from the US law's big dick...
 
Whether or not it is legal, I am unsure of. However, if you reside in the US, Canada or parts of Europe (anywhere that complies with the US in this sort of stuff and has a good legal system), the company if they are affluent enough could attempt to sue you and waste your time/money.
 
depending on what company you target I imagine there can be some pretty lucrative opportunities to monetize the site by offering "good alternatives" to the company.
 
Obviously a lawyer would help you out, but my dad knows someone that owns a small airport. His last name is the airport's name and someone tried making something like "companynameSucks.com" or whatever. The owner of the site took it down. Not sure if it was taken to court or the airport owner's lawyer scared the guy.
 
From my understanding the reason papalsucks.com can get away with it is it's basically a review site that other users post their beefs on, and not based on one sole person. They also don't profit from it, which is key. When you start profiting you face more substantial legal hurdles, whether or not your cause is just because it shows motive. I swear there was a huge conversation on here about it not that long ago. That being said you can do it other ways as long as you're willing to spend money on lawyers fees defending it, assuming the company wants to tangle legally. Which any decent sized company will probably decide to do regardless. Once you beat their ass once though they won't have much to stand on.
 
Cant make any money from it. If you make even hosting you are violating their copy right on the company name
 
not a good idea bro, way easier to make coin then jumping thru the hoops and hurdles you will have with this idea. just trust me on this, ive been down the road already.
 
Yep, after doing some more research, it seems I'll be perfectly fine if I follow these guidelines:

- Make a forum or give other people a way to voice their opinion about the company
- Not use their content/images/logos (Although somehow paypalsucks.com got away with doing it)
- Not make profit from it
- Not talk about CEO, owner or any employee directly.