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Add a Trademarks page #12

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Add a Trademarks page #12

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@dd32 dd32 commented May 2, 2024

Currently the handbook contains mentions about using trademarks in the FAQ, but this deserves a far more detailed page as we have ongoing questions about why a plugin author is blocked from using a plugin name.

This is a draft at creating a dedicated page.

Current texts:

### Why did I get a different slug than I was told?
If we have to change your permalink (slug) we will always email you to explain why. In general, we change your permalink when you have obvious typos or mistakes (_foundre_ instead of _founder_, for example) or if there are conflicts with existing trademarks or other plugins. Please make sure you read your review email carefully, as we do explain why we have do to things.

### Why can't I use someone's trademark/brand as my plugin name?
Simply put, because you're not them.
If you have written an add-on plugin for BooCommerce, you may not name it "BooCommerce Improved Product Search" as that would generate the slug `boocommerce-improved-product-search` and that would conflict with the trademark of 'BooCommerce.' That said, it would be acceptable to submit the name "Boo Improved Product Search" which would use the slug `bc-improved-product-search` ("bc" not being trademarked you see).
As another example, if you have a plugin that integrates a service with a a popular cloud hosting company named Amazorn, you may call it "My Service Integration for Amazorn", but you may **not** use "Amazorn – My Service Integration".
Consider the real life example of Keurig. If you made an eco-friendly brew cup, you could market it "EcoBrew Pod for Keurig" but you could NOT attempt to market it as "Keurig EcoBrew Pod." The latter implies a direct relationship to Keurig and is actually against the law in some countries. In order to protect you, we need you to tread lightly with recognized brand names and trademarks. Always err on the side of caution; if they come and tell us to close your plugin because you used their term as the _first_ word in the display name, we have to do it.
[alert]We no longer have permission to permit new plugins to use `woo` as the start of their permalink, and are required to enforce the use of `wc` instead.[/alert]
Can a company give me permission to use their trademark in my permalink?
No.
While we understand that companies can and do grant usage permissions, we do not accept them for permalinks for a really important reason: we _**cannot**_ change your permalink once the plugin is approved. This means if, later on, the company changes their mind and rescinds approval, the plugin will be closed and all of it's users abandoned.
In order to be forward thinking and proactive about a plugin's long-term life in the directory, we do not accept 'permission.' A permalink may not begin with a trademark (or commonly known brand/term) unless it is by the official owners.

### Should I use the trademark or registered symbol in my plugin name?
Assuming you actually did apply for trademarks, you certainly _can_ but it's not commonly done. Not even Google or Facebook do that. Simply by using your trademark term and having a log of it (like your SVN log), you have usually done the needed legal action required to protect your brand. Consult a lawyer for details.

Guideline:

### 17. Plugins must respect trademarks, copyrights, and project names
The use of trademarks or other projects as the sole or initial term of a plugin slug is prohibited unless proof of legal ownership/representation can be confirmed. For example, the [WordPress Foundation has trademarked the term "WordPress"](https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) and it is a violation to use "wordpress" in a domain name. This policy extends to plugin slugs, and we will not permit a slug to begin with another product's term.
For example only employees of Super Sandbox should use the slug "super-sandbox," or their brand in a context such as "Super Sandbox Dancing Sloths." Non-employees should use a format such as "Dancing Sloths for Superbox" instead to avoid potentially misleading users into believing the plugin was developed by Super Sandbox. Similarly, if you don't represent the "MellowYellowSandbox.js" project, it's inappropriate to use that as the name of your plugin.
Original branding is recommended as it not only helps to avoid confusion, but is more memorable to the user.

@frantorres frantorres self-assigned this Jul 18, 2024
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