Beware of Domain Name Traffickers. by John F. Letchford: (From the Archer and Greiner Intellectual Property website.)
Excerpt: “”Domain parking sites collect and index additional links where domain name registrants share revenue generated by web traffic but do not directly compete with the holders of similar legitimate trademarks or brand names. Registrants of parking sites typically use computer software to automatically register expired domain names and then ‘park’ those domains on pay-per-click portal sites..”
http://www.archerip.com/beware-of-domain-name-traffickers/
***FS*** That statement above is just wrong. That is not a “typical” parking practice. In fact if anything in this author’s piece is “typical” it’s the incorrect use of industry lingo and vernacular serving to cheapen a well intended piece summarizing the ills that plague the domain industry.. It’s unfortunate that some IP wonks (intentionally or unintentionally) throw the baby out with the bath-water, lumping domain parking, legitimate monetization and domain name investment activities with the darker ills of kiting trademarks and cybersquatting. Reading this piece I was left wondering what kind of Internet folks like Mr. Letchford would have us all visit? There is no Internet without domain name registrants. Shrill pieces which lump the good and bad elements of domain investment together, simply serve to flail their arms at decent newcomers wanting to learn more about the space.
I get the sense that the secondary domain “trafficking” or domain resale industry would surely be legitimate if it were controlled by “legitimate” clients like mother telco or father infrastructure co.. or aunt search engine – any legitimate brand really, who will pay the bills of IP ‘experts’ who know little of entrepreneurship and turn a blind eye to cottage industry American capitalism.. I have a good deal of disdain for those who come late to an industry, know little about the subject matter about which they write, then speak from an expert’s pulpit, only to place their feet in their mouths by mischaracterizing the space they profess to have knowledge about.
Very eloquently said, Frank.
And it needed to be said.
what a turd of an article. It could have been summed up with this :
“a few simple rules manifest themselves: (1) register desired domains as soon as possible, (2) be aware of the expiration dates of those registrations, and (3) vigilantly monitor the Internet for potentially conflicting registrations and uses. (4) hire us. THE END
What’s worse is some of them just don’t care to understand what it’s possibly like being on the “domainer” side of the fence. But that’s reality for ya.
Unfortunately there are people who just don’t like what others are doing but happen to have the money and time to dispute such. Just be ready, even though it’s sure inconvenient having to defend against them.
As with most IP attorneys… they actually don’t understand domain law.. And quite a few don’t even understand trademark law.
It was rather a confused article to say the least. Poorly researched and poorly explained.
Not sure though, why domainers even give a damn what people/lawyers think.. there’s a lot more IP piracy going on out there, which makes domain name issues look like a little storm in a very little tea cup.