Intellectual Property Law

Google Takes Aim At Domain Tasting Profiteers

By Marty Schwimmer

Information Week: Google Takes Aim At Domain Tasting Profiteers:

Google is planning to introduce a system to detect a form of domain registration abuse known as domain kiting. In so doing, the company stands to lose millions in advertising revenue, though it may gain far more in user trust and goodwill.

Registrants of Internet domains generally have a five-day grace period between the time a domain is registered and the time payment for the domain is due. This five-day period is used by domain profiteers for domain tasting -- testing the ad revenue generated at a given domain and then returning unprofitable domains -- and for domain kiting -- deleting newly registered domains within the grace period then immediately re-registering them to reset the grace period and postpone payment.

Rumor of Google's move published on Thursday.

Full post as published by Trademark Blog on January 26, 2008 (boomark / email).