Apple threatens Colombian mobile phone repairman with jail time::While many people are keeping an eye on Apple’s launches and the arrival of the iPhone 15 in September, a mobile phone and technology repairer has become the centre of attenti

  • narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee
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    9 months ago

    What a sensationalized headline (and not the first one I read on the topic).

    Apple didn’t send lawyers to prevent his company repairing devices, but because the company uses Apple trademarks in their marketing material which then could confuse customers into believing this is an official Apple service partner.

    It’s pretty standard brand/trademark protection going on, and as far as I know you actually have to protect your trademarks to a certain extent.

    This stuff is happening a lot, and this time news outlets chose to make it seem like Tim Cook himself wants this man in prison.

    • realharo@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      From the article

      which includes the name of the company and its products, logos and images of technological equipment, as well as direct mentions of them in advertising pieces,

      This makes it sound like he shouldn’t even use the name of the products, which would be ridiculous. How do you advertise iPhone repair if you cannot use the term iPhone, or pictures of the specific models?

      The article doesn’t link to any of the materials, so I can’t say whether they are actually misleading (using Apple’s name and logo could be easily avoided) or not.

    • Terr@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      And this gives them the right to ruin someone’s life? Come now, anything more than a small-ish fine is unreasonable.

      • bitsplease@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        How are they ruining his life? They literally just sent a cease and decist telling him he can’t use their trademarks

      • vector_zero@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        It really depends on the severity of the infringement and whether it continues after being told to stop.