MSN Fighting Cyersquatting and Typosquatters

Discussion in 'Bing' started by Ganceann, Aug 22, 2006.

  1. #1
    http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2006/08/22/ap2966123.html?partner=alerts


    It is an interesting read and the question is will other Corporations follow suit and be victorious?

    Or will the law effectively condone cybersquatting and open up the internet to even more pointless spam?

    I noticed Google ads appearing on one of the sites - could google be implicated by MSN as taking part in anti-competitive practices and 'earning money through its competitors trademarks' and therefore be required to pay MSN...

    One site had been taken down when I checked.

    The other one was landing pages I regularly see everytime I do a google search.

    The further issue is domain name registrars - could they also then be implicated and fined for profiting from trademarked domain names...
     
    Ganceann, Aug 22, 2006 IP
  2. hillord

    hillord Well-Known Member

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    #2
    yeah saw this one.
     
    hillord, Aug 23, 2006 IP
  3. DarrenC

    DarrenC Peon

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    #3
    Interesting read indeed.

    Whilst they aren't the only ones, it seems that Google and Adsense is the cause of a lot of crap on the internet. Daily, I am finding websites, with very little or stolen content, with Adsense ads slapped in the middle.

    Google wants to remove spam from the SERP's but in the other hand it's causing the majority of the spam by not monitoring websites using Adsense - I know this would be a administrative nightmare, they need to do something before the net is over crowded with non useful websites.
     
    DarrenC, Aug 23, 2006 IP
  4. Ganceann

    Ganceann Peon

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    #4
    I did make a post about Google to clean up adsense (didnt link to it since I started it and not sure if I would be able to link to my own topic due to revenue sharing on forum lol).

    Although Google gain from MFA websites, they could gain a lot more by attracting more competitive advertisers if they cleaned the adsense network up.

    Also, Microsoft did pursue domain squatters in 1998/1999 when the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act was passed by President Clinton, it wasn't applied to Domain Registrars.

    I think Microsoft are looking to achieve this... so it would make the domain registrars legally liable for allowing registrations of trademarked terms and failing to monitor the registrations with respect to trademarks.
     
    Ganceann, Aug 23, 2006 IP
  5. affordnow.com

    affordnow.com Peon

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    #5
    interesting news, thank you.
     
    affordnow.com, Aug 23, 2006 IP
  6. sipltech

    sipltech Well-Known Member

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    #6
    Many domains are under scanner :( those who are using "windows" "vista" and other misspelled and similar domain name will be facing this. :D
     
    sipltech, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  7. Barti1987

    Barti1987 Well-Known Member

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    #7
    And the source of this news is?

    Peace,
     
    Barti1987, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  8. sachin410

    sachin410 Illustrious Member

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    #8
    sachin410, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  9. sipltech

    sipltech Well-Known Member

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    #9
    i read it some where and forget :( thanks sachin for providing the link :p
     
    sipltech, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  10. EasyMarketer

    EasyMarketer Well-Known Member

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    #10
    That is only if Microsoft can prove that they were just trying to get traffic from there domain. If they have a legit website, that has nothing to do with myspace they cant get in trouble at all, because its generic, and it is not trademarked :)
     
    EasyMarketer, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  11. cool_78

    cool_78 Guest

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    #11
    I find there is really nothing wrong if you register a site with similar names to popular sites as long as they dont do it for some dubious purpose
     
    cool_78, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  12. sachin410

    sachin410 Illustrious Member

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    #12
    Yes. That's the whole idea behind "Trademarks".

    Product names/Logos/Packaging etc used in a manner to create confusion in minds of a customer by making two products similar is a trademark violation even though the actual names may be different.

    The same logic should apply to domains.

    However it is a subjective matter and different lawsuits may lead to different judgements.

    From the link that I provided earlier:

     
    sachin410, Aug 25, 2006 IP
  13. Ganceann

    Ganceann Peon

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    #13
    I posted about it a few days back on here ...:p

    Yeah looks like a few others companies may pick up on it this time though - unlike in 1998/1999 when Microsoft sued a cuple of domains then.

    The internet has advanced a lot since that time and many companies are now seeing the value in their names - so more are likely to follow suit.
     
    Ganceann, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  14. kemus

    kemus Guest

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    #14
    There goes vindowswista.com down the toilet :p
     
    kemus, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  15. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #15
    Shouldn't be hard to do in most cases, where the domain names have obviously been registered "in bad faith".
     
    Blogmaster, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  16. JC007

    JC007 Active Member

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    #16
    Man that's going to be lots of lawsuits..they are many ways to say Windows Vista :)
     
    JC007, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  17. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #17
    Most webmasters will hand them over quickly, soon as they get an email from Microsoft attorney.
     
    Blogmaster, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  18. jdk

    jdk Well-Known Member

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    #18
    If they come after you the best thing to do would be to just hand over the domains and hope they don't sue you.
     
    jdk, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  19. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #19
    what if you own something like microsift and have been branding it for 10+ years without offering something related to microsoft?
     
    Blogmaster, Aug 26, 2006 IP
  20. mjewel

    mjewel Prominent Member

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    #20
    MySpace is trademarked (Federally Registered) - but the US has common law trademarks which mean you don't need to file to have rights to a name. You must be the first to use, continue to use, for the particular classification/sector.

    Usage if very important in trademarks, but you can't register a name like AppleComputers and sell t-shirts because the name itself would be enough to infringe on the APPLE trademark.
     
    mjewel, Aug 26, 2006 IP