5 ms·

How are you a domain squatter if you owned the domain before the company existed?

by maratd 11y ago

Someone1234 11y ago
Squatting or not squatting is only a matter of intent so it is subjective from a third party's perspective. Arguably you can still be squatting even if you own the domain first, for example if you never used it and then when the company formed you kept renewing it in the hopes of a big payday. The intent is still to squat even if the ownership proceeded the value.
- maratd 11y ago
  The article is not talking about the millions of domain names registered for the sole purpose of reselling them for a few bucks more. It's talking about domain names desired by BIG companies. Companies with functional legal departments. You have no inherent right to a domain name, even if you purchased it first. Those domain names represent trademarks. The only way you can defend yourself from having your domain seized is by demonstrating legitimate use in commerce. Are you saying these people formed businesses and purchased domain names for the sole purpose of selling them for big bucks to companies that don't exist yet? That's insane.
  - bradbatt 11y ago
    Domain names are not just for use in commerce. Even if the Mr. Nissan in the article didn't have a company that used his last name, he would still have a legitimate claim to the domain that he registered because it is his own last name. Even if he was just using it for a blog site or simply for his email address. The huge companies don't have an inherent right to a domain that someone else has registered unless they can show that the person registered it for no legitimate use and only so that they could turn around and sell it.
  - Someone1234 11y ago
    > Are you saying these people formed businesses and purchased domain names for the sole purpose of selling them for big bucks to companies that don't exist yet? That's insane. No I did not say that. But I'm glad you created and responded to your own strawman, always useful.
ska 11y ago
Squatting has pretty much always involved this aspect, essentially speculating on the future value of a name.
makomk 11y ago
I had a look in the Internet Archive and for the entire decade that tesla.com was registered, it was a gandi.net domain parking page. Looks like a domain squatter to me.
- cylinder 11y ago
  That's not what squatting is. Are you implying that someone who buys a vacant piece of land and leaves it undeveloped is a squatter?
- to3m 11y ago
  It was used by its owner for FTP and email, apparently: http://www.adrforum.com/domaindecisions/547889.htm http://www.adrforum.com/domaindecisions/547889.htm

How are you a domain squatter if you owned the domain before the company existed?

by maratd 11y ago

How are you a domain squatter if you owned the domain before the company existed?

Squatting or not squatting is only a matter of intent so it is subjective from a third party's perspective. Arguably you can still be squatting even if you own the domain first, for example if you never used it and then when the company formed you kept renewing it in the hopes of a big payday. The intent is still to squat even if the ownership proceeded the value.

maratd 11y ago
The article is not talking about the millions of domain names registered for the sole purpose of reselling them for a few bucks more. It's talking about domain names desired by BIG companies. Companies with functional legal departments. You have no inherent right to a domain name, even if you purchased it first. Those domain names represent trademarks. The only way you can defend yourself from having your domain seized is by demonstrating legitimate use in commerce. Are you saying these people formed businesses and purchased domain names for the sole purpose of selling them for big bucks to companies that don't exist yet? That's insane.
- bradbatt 11y ago
  Domain names are not just for use in commerce. Even if the Mr. Nissan in the article didn't have a company that used his last name, he would still have a legitimate claim to the domain that he registered because it is his own last name. Even if he was just using it for a blog site or simply for his email address. The huge companies don't have an inherent right to a domain that someone else has registered unless they can show that the person registered it for no legitimate use and only so that they could turn around and sell it.
- Someone1234 11y ago
  > Are you saying these people formed businesses and purchased domain names for the sole purpose of selling them for big bucks to companies that don't exist yet? That's insane. No I did not say that. But I'm glad you created and responded to your own strawman, always useful.

ska 11y ago

Squatting has pretty much always involved this aspect, essentially speculating on the future value of a name.

makomk 11y ago

I had a look in the Internet Archive and for the entire decade that tesla.com was registered, it was a gandi.net domain parking page. Looks like a domain squatter to me.

cylinder 11y ago
That's not what squatting is. Are you implying that someone who buys a vacant piece of land and leaves it undeveloped is a squatter?
to3m 11y ago
It was used by its owner for FTP and email, apparently: http://www.adrforum.com/domaindecisions/547889.htm http://www.adrforum.com/domaindecisions/547889.htm