Suit over Web use
of gaydar

An international case on the ownership of the word gaydar is under way after two Web companies claim to have rights to use the term, originally coined to describe the ability to sense if another person is gay. Qsoft Consulting Limited, a 10-year-old British company, claims to own the name for its gay and lesbian dating site and digital radio service, reports the News Journal (Delaware). In November 2006, a U.S. company, with operations in Princeton and San Francisco, started to use similar domain names for the same kind of service.

The suit was filed with the federal court in Delaware because Teddy Tong, the owner of TDTong Ltd., registered his domain names through a local company, and Qsoft claims that Tong violated spam laws by sending unsolicited messages to Qsoft's customers.

Qsoft requested through the court that TDTong refrain from using gaydar on its Web sites or for commercial purposes. (The Advocate)