Trademark News - Wikileaks Founder, Julian Assange, Protects His Name By Trademark Registration.

Julian Assange of WikiLeaks has applied to protect his name by trademark registration in the UK as both a UK and an EU trademark. The applications have been published and cover public speaking services, news reporting services, journalism, the publication of texts, education services and entertainment services.

Celebrities are increasingly using trade mark registration as a way of controlling the commercial use of their names particularly in relation to the sale of goods and services and in the news and entertainment media. Celebrities who have trademarked their name include Lady Gaga, Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Alan Titchmarsh.

Assange has been criticized on the basis that his attempt to veto the use of his own name is not consistent with his strident views on freedom of information such as his move to obtain release of censored information about the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq and US State Department diplomatic cables. According to Mark Stephens, Assange’s lawyer, the intention behind the move to trademark his client’s name is to protect himself from being associated with things he does know about or approve of