Is this cybersquatting?

May 8, 2001 9:13 AM

Is this cybersquatting? While researching a new car, I decided to check out the research guide at Edmunds.com. When I misspelled the name, I found that edmonds.com is basically a mirror for Amazon.com, which happens to sell cars. Is that kosher?
posted by jpoulos (6 comments total)

you think that's bad? don't go to any misspellings for bonzaikitten. went to one and got bombarded by pr0n pops.

ugh.

so what's worse? what amazon did? or that someone is squatting on a misspelling of a novelty site to puff up their banner impressions?
posted by jcterminal at 9:32 AM on May 8, 2001

Tempest. Teapot. Tempest. Teapot.

whois edmonds.com

Registrant:
The Fayerweather Group (EDMONDS-DOM)
30 Shady Brook Lane
Belmont, MA 02178
USA

Domain Name: EDMONDS.COM

Administrative Contact:
Edmonds, Athena N (AE86) [e-mail]
The Fayerweather Group
30 Shady Brook Lane
Belmont, MA 02178
[phone] (FAX) [phone]

... and so on and so forth.

Real person, unaffiliated with Amazon, registers last name. Adds an Amazon Affiliate box to the page to get herself discounts on books. No connection to Edmunds, no shady dealings. End of story.
posted by grimmelm at 10:08 AM on May 8, 2001

Well, the domain seems to be owned by someone actually named Edmonds, and they're just an Amazon affiliate. Looks more like some way to pay for all the bandwidth sent to lost Edmunds surfers. (In a way, it's hard to blame them: check out e.g. the title bar in this GM page, or this review of community content sites.) Not that they need the money.

Unquestionably there are issues here under which Edmunds.com could contest the registration -- especially if they use the corp-friendly WIPO. But my guess? Darling Athena Edmonds has good lawyers and they intercepted any cease-and-desist letter ages ago with some intrepid response.
posted by dhartung at 10:10 AM on May 8, 2001

Perhaps I was unclear on the concept of being an "affiliate". And, while I did run a whois, I failed to notice the woman's surname. I assumed that the "Fayerweather Group" was one of Amazon's hired marketing firms, or something. I can see clearly now.

Thank You, Metafilter! :-)
posted by jpoulos at 10:20 AM on May 8, 2001

Being a poor speller, I've ran into porn/ads/popups etc. quite a bit. Some companies are pretty crafty, registering common misspellings. i.e., www.bannanarepublic.com
posted by sixdifferentways at 4:16 PM on May 8, 2001

As some point in the distant past, microsfot.com used to redirect to linux.org. That one always made me smile. :-)
posted by youhas at 8:22 PM on May 8, 2001