Quantcast

Craigslist's Evil Twin Asked to Cease, Desist

serenabm156.jpg

Cragslist started up its own blog a few weeks back. (It's ever so loverly, and we recommend it between Missed Connections and Seeking Job searches.) Perhaps its creation was due in part to that fake Craigslist blog lurking on the Internets.

Oh, and it has asked Tim White, editor of the fake Craigslist blog--one that began, supposedly, in response to Craigslist not having a blog of its own, or whatever--to quit. The faux CL blog, you see, started up a few weeks ago just before the real one began. (Yeah this confuses us, too, but stay with us.) Its press release went a little something like this:

The absence of a specific website aimed entirely at discussing the good, bad, and ugly of the massive Craigslist marketplace strikes many as a gaping hole in the online body politic, especially in light of the intense mainstream popularity of both personal and corporate blogging.

This makes little sense since Newmark has had his own blog about CL for quite some time; the fake CL blog is simply piggybacking on the Craigslist traffic-generating name. But now, according to Curbed, the fake Craigslist blog has been asked to knock it the hell off.

Someone at Craig & Co. (say, a certain Jim Buckmaster) certainly did: The "unofficial" Craigslist Blog has been politely asked to remove itself from the interwebs. As in, today. As of, right now. Cease! Desist! (Or get the hell out of town before it goes that far.)

Anyway, it's supposed to shutdown now. Now goddammit! (Want to see the letter Jim Buckmaster sent to White? Follow the jump. And seriously be careful before you start screwing with Craigslist. Remember: it brought the print publishing industry crashing to its knees.)

Tim,

We need you to stop using the infringing domain CRAIGSLISTBLOG.ORG immediately, and arrange for tranfer of it to us asap - using/selling/transfering infringing domains is illegal, and penalties up to $100,000 per domain can be applied.

Regardless of your efforts to find a new domain, you must stop using this one.

Furthermore, the title “craigslist blog” is infringing, and needlessly confusing to members of the media and the general public, and must be changed.

Also, Best-of-Craigslist” as a category header is infringing, and individual Best-of-Craigslist ads are not available for reprinting.

Finally, we do not permit commercial use of craigslist postings or excerpts thereof.

Please let us know your plans for complying with each of these requirements.

I’ve CC’d Grace Stanton from Perkins Coie, who will be taking over here if we do not receive a satisfactory response.

Thanks,

Jim

Juicy.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@sfist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]