| Getting clicks and traffic by accident | | | | revenue might comefrom selling ads to the |
| appears to be bigbusiness. And by 'big' I | | | | original site's competitors or byproviding |
| mean worth MILLIONS of dollars! | | | | redirect pages to related products or |
| Whiletyposquatting is unfortunately not a new | | | | services. Thereare multiple ways in which |
| online marketingpractice, its use and, | | | | typosquatters may turn typos intorevenue. |
| moreover, its ABUSE has grownsignificantly | | | | When surfers mistype popular URLs, squatter |
| and exponentially since 2000. Cybersquatting | | | | companiesthrow up ads in hidden browser |
| meansregistering, trafficking in or using a | | | | windows, making money off of adsfew people |
| domain name with theintent to profit in bad | | | | see. As a consequence, companies such as AT&T |
| faith from the goodwill of a trademarkthat | | | | Corp.and The New York Times are paying for ad |
| belongs to someone else. It commonly refers | | | | impressions even thoughthe ads are buried. |
| to the practiceof buying up domain names that | | | | |
| use incorporate the names ofexisting | | | | Finally, when visitors try to close |
| businesses with the intent to sell the names | | | | theirbrowsers or otherwise leave the web site |
| for aprofit to those businesses. | | | | in question, there isone more attempt at |
| | | | monetizing the mistake. Another browserwindow |
| The term derives from squatting, thepractice | | | | usually pops up, with a different web site's |
| of building some kind of home or dwelling or | | | | name. Thisone contains more advertisements. |
| in someway using someone else's landed | | | | It's a never ending story thatsure gets on |
| property without theirpermission. | | | | the nerves of most of us! The success of |
| Typosquatting, although very similar | | | | companiesthat practice Cybersquatter points |
| tocybersquatting, has a slightly different, | | | | out some serious flaws in the |
| but much more seriouspurpose: it is employed | | | | |
| by people who want to divert traffic totheir | | | | Internet's domain name system and in two of |
| websites. Typosquatters typically purchase a | | | | the web's mostprominent revenue models: |
| domain namethat is a variation of a popular | | | | Affiliate Programs and Advertising |
| domain name with theexpectation that some of | | | | |
| the traffic for the original web sitewill | | | | Reselling. Advertising resellers such as 24/7 |
| stray to theirs by capitalizing on web | | | | Media Inc., |
| surfers´misspellings of those popular | | | | |
| domain names. How can largecompanies, with | | | | Inc. and iBoost Technology Inc. contract |
| all their IT experts, not foresee something | | | | withlarge advertisers and then automatically |
| likethis happening? How come they allow tons | | | | feed ads onto thousandsof web sites. The |
| of opportunistics tomake revenue every time | | | | automated method of placing ads on sites |
| innocent Internet users mistype theoriginal | | | | canmake tracking where those ads end up a |
| brandnames or trademarks? The answer is, | | | | very difficult task. |
| cybersquattingoriginated at a time when most | | | | |
| businesses were not savvy aboutthe commercial | | | | Needless to say, typosquatters do not think |
| opportunities on the Internet. | | | | there is anythingwrong with using people's |
| | | | errors to grow traffic. |
| Sinceopportunities like these rarely knock on | | | | |
| one's door more thanonce, these so-called | | | | However, it isa whole different story when |
| 'entrepreneurs' reserved and registereddomain | | | | typosquatting is employed bypornographers to |
| names corresponding to the names of | | | | attract children to their websites. Until |
| well-known businesseswith the intent of | | | | now,there have been few methods of stopping |
| selling the names back to the companies | | | | pornographers and othersabusing the domain |
| whenthey finally woke up. Commercial domain | | | | name system from misleading children |
| names are obtained fromcompanies that are | | | | andadults into accessing sites masquerading |
| authorized to ensure that a domain name | | | | as popular legitimatesites. Many adult web |
| youwant is unique (no one else already has | | | | sites misrepresent their content or thenature |
| it) and issue it to youif it is. However, | | | | of their sites by registering domain names |
| these registries make no attempt to | | | | that areintentionally confusing, using page |
| determinewhether the domain name is one that | | | | coding designed to misleadsearch engines, |
| rightfully ought to go tosomeone else. The | | | | distributing false advertising to promote |
| principle is 'First come, first served.' | | | | sitetraffic, or hijacking visitors of another |
| | | | site. The problem isparticularly serious when |
| Panasonic, Fry's Electronics, Hertz and Avon | | | | children are involved. Just as adultsdo, |
| were among thefirst targets of | | | | children get spam and unsolicited instant |
| cybersquatters. Well-known products, sports | | | | messages withgraphic sexual images, content, |
| andpolitical figures and other celebrities | | | | or links to pornographic sites. |
| are also among thevictims. | | | | |
| | | | Statistics show that 20% to 30% of traffic to |
| Today,, although the practice itself is | | | | adult sites iscomprised of children. Many |
| growing,opportunities for cybersquatters are | | | | masquerade as messages from trustedfriends or |
| rapidly diminishing,because most businesses | | | | web sites. Children also may be tricked into |
| now know that nailing down domain namesis a | | | | visitinga pornographic site when they search |
| top priority. Although trademark laws may | | | | for age-appropriate wordsor phrases on a |
| offer someprotection, it is often cheaper to | | | | search engine. |
| buy the domain name from thecybersquatter | | | | |
| than it is to sue for its use: these | | | | Even if you find it hard tobelieve, depending |
| processescost money, and though you may be | | | | on the type of marketing or advertising |
| able to recover your costs andattorney fees | | | | modelused by a particular web site, there may |
| if you win, there is no guarantee; it's | | | | be no incentive tofilter children. In fact, |
| completelyup to the judge. Among some of the | | | | targeting children may be an effectiveway of |
| most famous examples ofdomains resold by | | | | increasing ad revenue. The name of the game |
| cybersquatters to companies are; | | | | is web sitetraffic where adult sites are |
| | | | concerned. So they cannot relyjust on |
| for over $1 million, for $3.5million and the | | | | keywords to increase traffic. As part of the |
| unprecedented $7.5 million paid for | | | | Amber Alertlegislation, typosquatting is now |
| | | | a crime in the United States. |
| Business.com, all in 1999. Cybersquatters may | | | | |
| also regularlycomb lists of recently expired | | | | Porn network czar John Zuccarini was the |
| domain names, hoping to sell backthe name to | | | | first person chargedunder the new |
| a registrant who inadvertently let their | | | | typosquatting law by the U.S. Attorney's |
| domain nameexpire. | | | | office inthe Southern District of New York |
| | | | and pleaded guilty in 2004. Hewas sentenced |
| How do you know if the domain name you want | | | | to two and a half years in prison. Until |
| is beingused by a cybersquatter? As a general | | | | theenactment of the Protect Act (most |
| rule, first check to seeif the domain name | | | | commonly known as the 'Amber |
| takes you to a legitimate website. If ittakes | | | | |
| you to a website that appears to be | | | | Alert' legislation), stopping typosquatters |
| functional andreasonably related in its | | | | was a civil matter,or perhaps (under |
| subject matter to the domain name, | | | | extraordinary circumstances) a consumer |
| youprobably are not facing a case of | | | | fraudmatter. The sites Zuccarini has been |
| cybersquatting. But if you owna trademark and | | | | found to have cybersquattedinclude those |
| find that someone is holding it hostage as | | | | referring to Nicole Kidman, Backstreet Boys, |
| adomain name until you pay a large sum for | | | | |
| it, you may be thevictim of cybersquatting. | | | | Encarta and others. His manipulation of Aaron |
| You can sue to get your domain name --and | | | | Carter's and |
| possibly some money damages -- under a 1999 | | | | |
| federal lawknown as the Anti-Cybersquatting | | | | Britney Spears' names is among his more |
| Consumer Protection Act or youcan initiate | | | | recent abuses. Courtshave already held that |
| arbitration proceedings under the authority | | | | there is no legitimate purpose for |
| of the | | | | |
| | | | Zuccarinin registering and using the |
| Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and | | | | typo-domains other than totrade on the |
| Numbers (ICANN) andwin the name back without | | | | popularity of the underlying domain |
| the expense and aggravation of alawsuit. | | | | names,celebrities and products involved. |
| | | | |
| The ICANN arbitration system is considered by | | | | In summary, cybersquatters and typosquatters |
| trademarkexperts to be faster and less | | | | are unethicalcompanies and individuals that |
| expensive than suing under the | | | | want to profit from your family'sand your own |
| | | | confusion and spelling mistakes. If you want |
| ACPA, and the procedure does not require an | | | | tohelp protect your children and others |
| attorney. | | | | online, drop by and report those who are |
| | | | engaged inthese and other unscrupulous online |
| Typosquatting, however, is a much more | | | | marketing practices. Becomea member for free |
| dangerous practicebecause it is commonly used | | | | and sign up to receive our Newsletters |
| by pornographers. Typosquatting isbased on | | | | withuseful and valuable information on how to |
| the probability that a certain number of | | | | handle abuses on the |
| Internet userswill mistype the name of a web | | | | |
| site (or its URL) when browsingthe web. | | | | Internet. Also, look for more articles on |
| Typosquatters usually register several | | | | related topics on ourweb site. You will learn |
| possible typosfor a brand name or web site | | | | how we can really make a difference byworking |
| known for its high traffic, thenmonitor to | | | | together with consumers and companies to |
| see how many clicks per day each of their | | | | preserve |
| typo domainnames receives, and finally use | | | | |
| the information to selladvertising for the | | | | Internet users' freedom and privacy while |
| web sites that receive a high volume | | | | promoting loyaladvertising and good art on |
| ofaccidental traffic. Ironically, advertising | | | | marketing practices. |