Biting into Spam

A small Welsh computer company has won the right to include the word "spam" in a trademark, despite objections from a multi-national food corporation. NetBop Technologies developed a filter it called "bopspam" aimed at combating unwanted e-mails, known as spam [,]but US-based Hormel Foods, which makes the meat product of the same name, initially objected to its registration.

Experts believe the Swansea company is the first in Europe to secure such a written trademark using the word spam.

Seems a shame to me - I'm not usually a defender of bug vested interests in the whole so-called 'intellectal property' arena, but, Hormel Foods have been very good about their brandname foodstuff's trademark, compared to many other businesses - having a variety of liberal policies on it - so it's a little disappointing to see this computer company, Bopspam, taking the approach they have.