Cybersquatting

Cybersquatting, according to the United States federal law known as the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price. The term is derived from "squatting," which is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use. Cybersquatting however, is a bit different in that the domain names that are being "squatted" are (sometimes but not always) being paid for through the registration process by the Cybersquatters. Cybersquatters usually ask for prices far greater than that at which they purchased it. Some cybersquatters put up derogatory remarks about the person or company the domain is meant to represent in an effort to encourage the subject to buy the domain from them. Others post paid links via Google, Yahoo, Ask.com and other paid advertising networks to the actual site that the user likely wanted, thus monetizing their squatting. As with many controversial issues, some argue that the dividing line of cybersquatting is difficult to draw, or that the practice is consistent with a capitalistic and free market ethos. Cybersquatting is one of the most loosely used terms related to domain name intellectual property law and is often incorrectly used to refer to the sale or purchase of generic domain names such as example.com. Read the full background at Cybersquatting Wikipedia

Cybersquatting / Participants

John Levine
  • John Levine
  • Author, Consultant & Speaker
  • Joined: Jun 14, 2004
    Featured Blogs: 82
    Comments Posted: 93
No Image
  • Karl Auerbach
  • Chief Technical Officer
  • United States
  • Joined: Jun 14, 2003
    Featured Blogs: 29
    Comments Posted: 82
Michael Geist
  • Michael Geist
  • Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law
  • Joined: Jan 09, 2004
    Featured Blogs: 20
    Comments Posted: 0
No Image
  • George Kirikos
  • President, Leap of Faith Financial Services Inc.
  • Canada
  • Joined: Sep 16, 2003
    Featured Blogs: 18
    Comments Posted: 75
Alex Tajirian
  • Alex Tajirian
  • CEO
  • United States
  • Joined: Dec 08, 2004
    Featured Blogs: 18
    Comments Posted: 39
Wendy Seltzer
  • Wendy Seltzer
  • Law professor
  • Joined: Jul 02, 2003
    Featured Blogs: 17
    Comments Posted: 5
Michele Neylon
  • Michele Neylon
  • MD of Blacknight Solutions
  • Ireland
  • Joined: Mar 02, 2004
    Featured Blogs: 15
    Comments Posted: 28
Dancho Danchev
  • Dancho Danchev
  • Independent Security Consultant
  • Joined: Jul 03, 2008
    Featured Blogs: 14
    Comments Posted: 0
Rod Dixon
  • Rod Dixon
  • Attorney
  • Joined: Jun 14, 2003
    Featured Blogs: 12
    Comments Posted: 6
No Image
  • Andrew Allemann
  • Domain Name Blogger
  • Joined: Oct 10, 2005
    Featured Blogs: 11
    Comments Posted: 11
Mark Partridge
  • Mark Partridge
  • Attorney & Author
  • Joined: Aug 12, 2004
    Featured Blogs: 10
    Comments Posted: 0
Evan D. Brown
  • Evan D. Brown
  • Attorney
  • Joined: Apr 29, 2005
    Featured Blogs: 9
    Comments Posted: 3