Lapsed lurker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Internet domain name registrations are for a fixed period of time. If the owner of a domain name doesn't re-register the name with an internet registrar prior to expiry, then the domain name can be purchased by anybody else after it expires.[1] At this point the registration is called lapsed. A lapsed lurker uses automated software tools to register the lapsed name the instant it is lapsed. Lapsed lurking is one of a family of identity theft schemes including renewal snatching, extension exaggeration and alert angling.[2]
A famous example of temporary domain name loss (but not intentional lapsed lurker) was when Microsoft temporarily lost ownership of the Hotmail domain name.[3][4]
An example of actual lapsed lurking is as follows: Artist Charles von Herrlich of Greenwich Village used to own domain name http://charlesvonherrlich.com, as shown by the Wayback Machine. The name lapsed and Name Thread Corporation at 15801 NE 24th St. in Bellevue, Washington purchased the name for resale, forcing the artist to choose the new domain name http://vonherrlich.com. Name Thread Corporation is an accredited domain name registrar, which means that it can be a cybersquatter of http://charlesvonherrlich.com indefinitely and at no cost to itself.[5]. Without being an accredited registrar, the lapsed lurker strategy would probably not be profitable.
Some of the recourses to domain name loss are as follows:
- File an InterNIC Registrar Problem Report regarding a cybersquatter posing as a registrar.
- Initiate a UDRP proceeding with an approved dispute resolution service provider.
- File a court action claiming trademark or copyright infringement. For example, actor Robert De Niro has claimed ownership of all domain names incorporating the text "Tribeca" for domain names with any content related to film festivals. In particular, he has a dispute with the owner of the website http://tribeca.net.[6][7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Renew or lose", 4 November 2003.
- ^ Bill Sweetman. "Avoiding Domain Name Desperados", September 2001.
- ^ Tim Richardson. "Microsoft forgets to renew hotmail.co.uk domain", 8 November 2003.
- ^ "domain name news - 14 November 2003".
- ^ "EFF Cybersquatting and Internet Address and Domain Name Disputes Archive", 13 March 2003.
- ^ Erik Davis. "Robert De Niro: Raging Bully?", 2 Jan 2007.
- ^ "I am Tribeca, De Niro claims", 31 Dec 2006.
