Q: Is it against the law to use the name of a government program to market advice and sell services?
My company helps military veterans with their benefits and provides counseling for them to make sure they are receiving the maximum benefits they are entitled to. Would it be against the law if I bought a domain such as www.selectiveservice.com (Just a random example not the actual domain) and wrote blogs that explain the selective service system and how to enroll in it and offered other services through the leads I generate on that site. This would obviously need to include a disclaimer that I was not affiliated with selective service and I would not represent my self as being affiliated with any government agency. I just want to know if I could be changed for misrepresentation even with disclaimers. Thank you
A: The names of government agencies and programs are essentially trademarks or service marks, and are infringed if private entities promote goods or services with confusingly similar names.
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