‘Hacker Scouts’ change their name to avoid legal action from Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America are always prepared. Hacker Scouts? Not so much.

The latter group, which consists of children in the Oakland, California area, recently received a request from the BSA to change its name to avoid confusion with the storied youth organization.

According to the group's website, the Hacker Scouts is an "inclusive, diverse, co-ed organization designed to support the next generation of makers, explorers, entrepreneurs, and leaders" by emphasizing math, science, engineering and art.

It seems like the Boy Scouts have the upper hand in this situation. The Verge reported that the BSA has exclusive ownership of the use of the word "scouts" in its title, thanks to a Congressional charter passed in 1919.

"As any organization would do, from time to time, it's necessary for the BSA to take steps to protect its intellectual property and brand," a BSA spokesman told The Los Angeles Times.

After receiving a second letter from the BSA that threatened legal action, the Hacker Scouts decided to change their name and avoid a larger battle.

"We have a chance to reinvent ourselves in some ways with a new name, which, once it is chosen, will allow us to move forward in several other areas," co-founder Samantha Matalone Cook told The Verge.

Not every intellectual property dispute makes it all the way to court. Depending on the nature of the disagreement, some can be settled before legal action is necessary. By working with a Phoenix business attorney, groups involved in such situations can decide which path is best for them.

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

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