If a student happened to stumble upon www.benladner.com, he or she would encounter a website listing several news articles about or related to American University. He or she would probably never guess that this website has caused a lawsuit and sparked a debate on intellectual property rights. AU alumnus Ben Whitmore has found himself embroiled in a legal controversy with AU President Ben Ladner over the website, which bears Ladner’s name. While Ladner may be annoyed by the website, his grounds for the suit seem tenuous at best.
Ladner, who stated in a forum at AU that he has never read the website, said that he feels the website misrepresents him and the university.
According to AU Media Relations Director Todd Sedmak, “[This] is not an issue regarding content; it is an issue regarding the appropriate use (or misuse) of a person’s name.”
But is Ladner famous enough that the website could hinder his reputation? Not really.
According to The Eagle, AU’s student newspaper, Ladner’s complaint also asserts, “[Ladner] is a public figure whose name is linked with publications, research, and charity,” and that, “the domain was registered to take advantage of Ladner’s good will.”
But how is the site taking advantage of Ladner’s “good will?” As it exists today, the website does not slander Ladner or AU. When the site was first created, it contained more material directly criticizing Ladner, including photos of his house and articles reporting his salary. However, the site has gradually been transformed and is now divoted to the dissemination of news stories.
The complaint also asserts that the site is attempting to “derive income from advertising sales through donations and charging businesses $30 to $60 for monthly advertising and $10 to $20 for campus and non-profit organizations.” The reality is that the website is run by students and is almost broke, according to an article in The Eagle. Any money the site does make is used to keep it up and running.
Perhaps Ladner should take the time to visit the site before he makes allegations of misuse of his name. The site is nothing more than a collection of news stories seeking to better inform AU students, something that should be encouraged rather than litigated.
