Work in progress. Process for fielding new trademark inquiries.
Emails go to trademark@debian.org
Trademark frontdesk member fields emails. If response is straightforward, frontdesk responds, making sure trademark@debian.org is cc'ed. Straightforward responses include:
- nominative use request. - If someone wants to use the word "Debian" to describe Debian, permission is not required.
- use of trademark in a hostname. - If someone wants to use "Debian" in a hostname, we don't require special permission.
- use of trademark is otherwise explicitly allowed by current TM policy.
- 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.
- Use requests:
- Depending on what the reply is use one of the templates in dpl-helpers trademark folder
- All responses to domain use requests should be logged in git. (Need to clarify if there are exceptions.)
- Reports of unauthorized use:
- Friendly uses - In this case there is a template: violation-friendly.txt
- 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.
- Use requests:
- 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)
- approval-template.txt - To indicate approval of a domain use request
- notrelatedgoods-template.txt - To indicate disapproval of a nrg use request
Templates that may eventually need to be written:
- non-approval-template.txt - To indicate disapproval of a domain use request