Retailers Neiman, Bergdorf File Cybersquatting Lawsuit Against Registrar Dotster

[Kristijntje]

A new federal lawsuit charges that Dotster, one of the largest domain name registrars, has unlawfully participated in a massive cybersquatting campaign targeting companies such as Cingular Wireless, Disney, Ikea, Google, Neiman Marcus, Playboy and Verizon.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday by high-end retailers Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, alleges that Dotster abused its status as a registrar by "checking out" hundreds of domain names that closely resemble the correct ones--and then keeping only the ones that were visited by Web users who couldn't spell very well...

But this Dotster lawsuit involves allegations of a new twist on the concept: a registrar using its special status with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to secure misspelled domains temporarily for a few days, measure the traffic, and then pay for only the ones that would be lucrative in terms of advertising...

full article: http://news.com.com/Dotster+named+in+mas...=nefd.lede

related topic:
GoDaddy CEO Claims Scammers Registered 93% of April's 35 Million New Domains
http://community.tuliptools.com/index.ph...796.0.html

[accentnepal]

Pretty slimy - if the allegations are true.  And perhaps a concern for Dotster's customers.

I was amused by a story linked in this story, not really related to Dotster's possible evil deeds. It is over a year old, but I had not heard it before:

Canadian teenager Mike Rowe, who shot to fame last week, after Microsoft decided to threaten him for registering and using the domain name MikeRoweSoft.com

It took me a minute - pronounce the domain name aloud. 

MS finally gave him an x-box, some games and stuff for the name. He really let them off cheap.

[mandy]

Update: Neiman and Dotster have settled their suit:

As part of the settlement, Dotster agreed to stop registering names similar to Neiman Marcus or sister chain Bergdorf Goodman. The registration company also agreed to suspend use of automation to register domain names in bulk.

Experts estimate that up to 6 million names are tied up at any given time through domain name tasting, thanks to computer automation and a burgeoning online advertising market...

and Neiman has sued 2 more domain companies:

Neiman Marcus Group Inc. is suing a pair of domain name companies, accusing them of improperly registering more than 40 Internet addresses that resemble the department store chain's trademarks.

The lawsuit accuses the companies of domain name tasting, or taking advantage of a five-day refund period to sample which of the addresses might generate traffic -- and thus potential ad revenues, before committing to buying them.

Name.com LLC and Spot Domains LLC, two Denver-based companies that share offices and employees, were named as defendants...

full article: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financial...24FT81.htm