Microsoft To SUE MORE 'Cybersquatters' In Federal Court - DNForum - Domain Sales, Domain Forum, Domain Appraisals, Domain Registrars

**companyone** · 03-13-2007, 12:22 PM

Microsoft to sue 'cybersquatters'
Company says sites waylay customers

Quote:

BLOOMBERG NEWS

Microsoft Corp. said it plans to file a new round of lawsuits in the U.S. and Britain this week against people it says are profiting from registering Internet domain names that contain the company's trademarked terms.

Called "cybersquatters" or "typosquatters," the targets of Microsoft's lawsuits use Web addresses containing terms such as Xbox or Microsoft, or slight misspellings of those words, to lure consumers to Web sites loaded with clickable advertisements. The Web-site operators profit when consumers click on an ad.

Microsoft sued more than 200 people last year, accusing them of running bogus sites. The Web-site operators illegally profit from Microsoft's trademarked names and create confusion for people seeking the company's legitimate Web sites, Microsoft said in August.

"This enforcement campaign is an expansion of the first Microsoft cybersquatting announcement in August 2006," Liz Candello, a Microsoft spokeswoman, said Monday in an e-mail.

Microsoft said last year that an average of 2,000 domain names containing Microsoft's trademarked terms are registered each day, and at least 75 percent are owned by professional domain-name holding operations.

Microsoft sued 217 unnamed defendants in federal court in Washington last year, seeking subpoenas to learn their identities.

A separate lawsuit filed in federal court in Utah accused two men in that state and a New Mexico man of registering 324 domain names using Microsoft terms.

The company also sued a California man in Los Angeles federal court, alleging he registered 85 domain names related to Microsoft.

**muris** · 03-13-2007, 12:30 PM

Looks like Microsoft is close to "Chapter 11". Why they would fight over pennies if their condition is great?

**namewaiter** · 03-13-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muris

Looks like Microsoft is close to "Chapter 11". Why they would fight over pennies if their condition is great?

close to chapter 11 ?... umm no

**companyone** · 03-13-2007, 02:21 PM

MS did just loose a 1.5 Billion dollar patient Infirgment to Alctel-luceint.

But, its not going to put them into BK...But sooner or later a Billion dollars plus...is a Billion dollars plus...even to MS.

**ColdGin** · 03-13-2007, 02:25 PM

And also Google is in their back waiting to replace them...so they have more pression than ever before...

**muris** · 03-13-2007, 02:59 PM

They seem to enjoy polarizing people.
(and I liked them when they issued DOS6.0)

**Focus** · 03-13-2007, 03:31 PM

Exaclty why I don't mess with Microsoft dude....last people to be squatting on.

**Raider** · 03-13-2007, 03:50 PM

For Microsoft, I don't think its about money at all, they want to send a clear message to everyone, DON'T MESS WITH OUR TRADEMARK! and its working.

I sure wouldn't reg a name that even resembles MS, I remember selling a licensed unopened disk of Windows software on Ebay, the auction was cancelled twice, I heard somewhere that MS is able to access the ebay auctions and has the authority to cancel them as they deem fit....anyone here about this?

**JRBHosting** · 03-13-2007, 03:54 PM

Wow...this is the quintessential greedy big company taking advantage.

Microsoft was in a lawsuit against Alcatel-Lucent? I have a family member in Lucent, and didn't know that

**muris** · 03-13-2007, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaiderGirl

For Microsoft, I don't think its about money at all, they want to send a clear message to everyone, DON'T MESS WITH OUR TRADEMARK! and its working.

I agree. I was sarcastic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaiderGirl

I sure wouldn't reg a name that even resembles MS, I remember selling a licensed unopened disk of Windows software on Ebay, the auction was cancelled twice, I heard somewhere that MS is able to access the ebay auctions and has the authority to cancel them as they deem fit....anyone here about this?

It's possible. (They may have such a provision somewhere w/ ebay)

whydna · 03-13-2007, 05:44 PM

Probably not the favored opinion but... I can't say I blame them. They have every right to protect their trademark, and it is unfair that people are profiting from it. In fact, it is even more unreasonable that when Microsoft approaches these domain holders, they ask for rediculous conpensation/selling prices to get their trademark back... so whos the greedy ones?

**Dave Zan** · 03-13-2007, 07:50 PM

I wonder why some people even bother to register domain names that have a
lot of potential.

Potential to get a free ride on Microsoft's trademark, that is.

But...no risk no gain.

**companyone** · 03-13-2007, 08:17 PM

Hi,

There is a BIG - HUGE difference of being "just" sued in court and being sued in "Federal Court".

For one, It allows a comapny like MS "federal subpoena power"... they could/will be subpoening the records and information from: domain owners, domain registars, domain parking services... and anyone or any other thing that can be subpoened under "Federal Law".

And under a "Federal Lawsuit" they can charge "more" than "just" cyberaquatting...they also can throw in various other violations of "fair trade" laws and other TM infingement laws an statutes.

I do not think trying to "not" comply with or ignoring a "Federal Subpoena" is/will be a good option for anyone...no matter what.

I would suggest if your just a "normal everyday domainer"... and happen to find youself for some reason or another, owning a domain(s) that MS could anyway have a "problem" with...you consider very seriously the "down side" of owning such domains.

If MS has done all these lawsuits and now is doing more and more...they should have a "domain ammensty" period, were they set up a webpage that people could go to and arrange to turn over "questionable" domains without any kind of penalty. This way...MS would get some of their typo and product domain names back....WITHOUT feeling the need to sue every domain owner on the planet.

Just and idea...to save people some real needless pain.

It does MS...no good if an owner of one of their TM domain(s) decide's to sell it/them or other wise gets rid of the domain(s) by letting them expire or something...because the end result will be someone else "other" than MS will own the domain(s) by either purchase or "re-registering" dropped domains.

There has to be a "middle ground" somewere.

Peace

**Doc Com** · 03-13-2007, 08:25 PM

I'll let you know how many C&D's I get. I am guessing between 6-12...anything with Micro, Soft, XP, Vista, Window, Windows...anything with those words. No matter what they apply to, no matter what language, anything.

Okay, 12-18.

**csite.net** · 03-13-2007, 08:37 PM

good. I hate typos and i dislike cybersquatters even more, they are nothing but opportunists trying to make a dime out of other people's hard work.

imo what microsoft should really be doing is suing the parking companies too, they are also making a profit out of cybersqautting, it would then prevent the acceptance of further typo names to their parking programme.

**Focus** · 03-13-2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csite

good. I hate typos and i dislike cybersquatters even more, they are nothing but opportunists trying to make a dime out of other people's hard work.

imo what microsoft should really be doing is suing the parking companies too, they are also making a profit out of cybersqautting, it would then prevent the acceptance of further typo names to their parking programme.

Quote:

they are nothing but opportunists trying to make a dime

Admit your profession.

for the record..I own ZERO microsoft related domains...like I said before wrong terms to be squatting on...it's simply not a smart risk.

As far as "hating typos"..you might as well say "I hate money"

**csite.net** · 03-13-2007, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Focus

As far as "hating typos"..you might as well say "I hate money"

i personally rather earn honest money than money through other people's hard work. I'm proud not to own a single typo

I got into domaining not via typos, but generic tld's and cctld's. Imo cybersqatting should be made illegal.

**companyone** · 03-13-2007, 08:46 PM

DotCom,

You don't understand...it looks like they are "skipping" the C&D letters and are going right to lawsuits & FED Court.

If you are waiting for C&D's...they may never come.

New ballgame "sports fans"...

Peace