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Microsoft launched a new offensive against cybersquatters who gain illegal profits from thousands of websites that include the company’s trademarked names.
Three lawsuits were filled, claiming violation of federal and state laws.
Two of the complaints, filed in Utah and California, are against known individuals accused of running more than 400 such sites.
The third complaint is against cybersquatters who have their identity protected by privacy protection services. There are 217 different domains in this condition.
Microsoft is filling this complains under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, or ACPA, which subjects anyone who “registers, traffics in or uses a domain name that is identical to, confusingly similar or dilutive of” an existing trademark to up to $100,000 in damages.
“We’ve seen a tremendous rush on domain name registration…in particular with domain names containing Microsoft intellectual property,” Kornblum said. “This effort is designed to more aggressively protect our customers trying to visit Microsoft Web properties as well as protect Microsoft’s brands and domains online.”
In 2004 Microsoft threatened a 17-year-old Canadian student named Mike Rowe because of his funny domain: MikeRoweSoft.com . This situation ended up with an agreement with Rowe, who ceded the site for some Microsof services ( like a new X-BOX ).
Based On Article By Anne Broache
CNET News.com
August 22, 2006
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