Erris's Journal: Lowe's Tries to Silence Irate Customer with Trademark Threat

Another day, another misuse of law to censor the web. Retail giant Lowe's is suing an irate customer over his use of trademarks and the word Lowe's in a url. A modified logo is now visible but no one should be mislead by something with a big scratchout and "You will be ripped off" written on it.

The dust-up is the latest example of large companies using the legal system to quell internet postings they find damaging. Once upon a time, people who were unhappy with a company's products or service had few recourses. With the emergence of the net, they now have a gigantic megaphone with which to complain. Last week a software developer sued the owner of a site called Whirlpool for allowing comments in forums that criticized its products.

The complaint itself is trivial and it's hard to imagine why Lowe's bothered. It would be cheaper to buy a new $3,500 fence or send out better contractors than it would to launch a lawsuit.