Work in progress. Process for fielding new trademark inquiries.

  1. Emails go to trademark@debian.org

  2. Trademark frontdesk member fields emails. If response is straightforward, frontdesk responds, making sure trademark@debian.org is cc'ed. Straightforward responses include:

    1. nominative use request. - If someone wants to use the word "Debian" to describe Debian, permission is not required.
    2. use of trademark in a hostname. - If someone wants to use "Debian" in a hostname, we don't require special permission.
    3. use of trademark is otherwise explicitly allowed by current TM policy.
  3. If the request is not straightforward, and requires special permission, frontdesk will email "Debian Trademark Team", which includes DPL, with a proposed course of action. This include requests to use the Debian in a domain name e.g. - debianfanclub.org and reports of Trademark violations, that are in fact unauthorized uses. Currently DPL makes final decisions here, but may be a DPL delegate in the future.
    1. Use requests:
      1. Depending on what the reply is use one of the templates in dpl-helpers trademark folder
      2. All responses to domain use requests should be logged in git. (Need to clarify if there are exceptions.)
    2. Reports of unauthorized use:
      1. Friendly uses - In this case there is a template: violation-friendly.txt
      2. Unfriendly uses - These need to be handled on a case by case basis, and generally the expectation is that legal counsel at SFLC should be conferred.
  4. In all cases if "Debian Trademark Team" is unsure of the appropriate action, escalate to legal counsel at SFLC.

Existing response templates: (In the dpl helpers git)

  1. approval-template.txt - To indicate approval of a domain use request
  2. notrelatedgoods-template.txt - To indicate disapproval of a nrg use request

Templates that may eventually need to be written:

  1. non-approval-template.txt - To indicate disapproval of a domain use request