Internet use of trademarks expands trademark infringement claims and lawsuits. Novel Internet trademark claims spring from the innovative but unlawful use of trademarks in e-commerce. Internet domain names, hyperlinks, meta tags and framing marks enlarge the number of trademark infringement opportunities.
While the Internet reduces the likelihood of confusion by allowing the buyer to be more sophisticated, it bolsters the “likelihood of confusion” by allowing new, unlawful uses of trademarks. Additionally, the traditional use of a mark on the Internet (to identify the source of goods) is likely to amplify certain trademark characteristics, including: the strength of a mark; the proximity of the products or services to a geographical location; and actual confusion.
