A company called Fandom Inc claimed it owned the rights to the word 'fandom', and went round threatening people with legal action. In particular, a website called fandom.tv, which was a competitor of sorts to Fandom Inc's own fandom.com website. Fandom.com was, eventually, defeated, but it got people worried. - http://www.fandom.tv/fcom/fcominfo.html From TheAnsible (#161): "`Fandom Inc', owners of US commercial sf website Fandom.com, seem to believe they own the word `fandom' and have sent threatening cease-and-desist mail to the Fandom.tv site. These threats imply that Fandom Inc have trademarked the word; not so. OED cites for `fandom' go back to 1903; sf fans have used it since the 1930s. Annoyed (mostly media) fans want a boycott of Fandom.com. Others quickly bagged unregistered `fandom' domain names: Michael J.Lowrey now owns fandom.co.uk and fandom.org.uk, and would like these auctioned to good Britfannish homes with proceeds to TAFF. Meanwhile in Britain, it seems that our own Chris O'Shea was the first to register Fandom.com, but was then made an offer he couldn't refuse...."