The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) has settled its second lawsuit against a test preparation company it accused of violating its copyright by allegedly selling study materials containing questions that appear in CompTIA exams.
CompTIA announced last year that it is taking a strong stance globally to protect its registered trademarks (logos and certification names), and intellectual property, this being the content of its international examinations.
Two successful lawsuits against test preparation companies, Troy Technologies USA (Troytech) and Cheet Sheets, have resulted in both companies having to remove CompTIA certification preparation materials from their internationally known sites. The names of individuals, who made use of the above sites to get CompTIA certified, were also disclosed during the court cases.
Loraine Vorster, Sales & Marketing Executive at CompTIA in South Africa, explains why the association is treating the situation seriously.
"Passing an examination, in this case an international standard, through memorising questions on a "dump site", has no validity or credibility. These sites promise "guaranteed" pass rates and market the "real" exam questions. Certification provides the individual with credibility, recognition of achievement and quality assurance. Making use of "dump sites" devalues certification in the industry."
CompTIA has appointed Law Firm, Werksmans Attorneys to assist the Association with the protection of its registered trademarks in South Africa. Strong steps will be taken against non-Members of CompTIA, who use CompTIA trademarks as course titles and issue internally produced certificates.
Says Vorster, " For many years IT Training Providers have made use of CompTIA trademarks in South Africa. Companies, who join CompTIA and legitimately use CompTIA trademarks, have to compete against Training Companies that advertise ridiculously low prices and unauthorised training and preparation towards CompTIA certifications. We intend to protect our trademarks and intellectual property, as well as our Members and students studying towards CompTIA certifications, against exploitation."
Share
CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association, is a not-for-profit trade association of more than 10,000 companies and professional IT members in the rapidly converging computing and communications market. CompTIA has members in more than 50 countries and provides a unified voice for the industry in the areas of standards (including e-commerce), vendor-neutral certification, service metrics, and public policy. More than a half a million individuals worldwide have earned CompTIA certifications in PC service, networking, document imaging, and Internet. CompTIA is headquartered in the Chicago area. The Web address is www.comptia.org.
Editorial contacts