ICANN Investigates Insider Domain Name Snatching

Tech.Luver sends us word that, hot on the heels of reports that Verisign may be planning to sell DNS root server lookup data, ICANN has opened an investigation into a suspected practice by registrars it calls "domain name front running." The suspicion is that insiders at some registrars are using information from whois searches to snatch up desirable domain names before interested customers can register them. Here is ICANN's announcement of the investigation (PDF). ICANN asks that anyone who suspects they have been victimized by domain name front running to email them with details.

wow

[zehaeva]

I am so very glad that ICANN has quickly come forth at the first signs of such a horrible problem, to think that the registrars would abuse their positions like this.

I think we all can rest since ICANN is going to fix this before it even becomes a problem.

oh wait ...

Dear ICANN:

[circletimessquare]

I have been the victim of Internet-related Terminology Front Running (tm). It began innocently enough with "trolling" borrowed from fishing terminology. But when "phishing" itself became a term, as well as "blog", "AJAX", "spidering", etc., I realized I was in a strange world where tech writers invent terms for phenomena most people aren't even aware exists yet. Usually the phenomena is out there for awhile first, and as it gradually trickles into common knowledge, terminology gradually evolves. But here we have terminology existing even before awareness of the phenomenon. Which brings us to "front running"...

Oh, wait, we're talking about a different kind of front running? It means what again?

See what I mean ICANN? I can't even keep track anymore. I thought I was tech savvy, but if I blink, these crazy kids are using words I don't even understand.

Wait... ICANN is the wrong organization to complain to about this?

I give up.

Re:I believe it happened to me....

[Anonymous Coward]

You spent two weeks thinking up a domain name and now can't remember it?

Man, you must have a terrible memory. Did you spend the entire two weeks going "I need a good domain name... how about awesome.net? Nah, that's no good. How about awesome.net? Yes, that's it!" :)

Re:I believe it happened to me....

[lena_10326]

You spent two weeks thinking up a domain name and now can't remember it?

Man, you must have a terrible memory. Did you spend the entire two weeks going "I need a good domain name... how about awesome.net? Nah, that's no good. How about awesome.net? Yes, that's it!" :)

1. I think up a lot of domain names. I have lots of ideas.
   
2. It was 5-15 minutes a day.
   
3. My ad hoc method gets me very good domains.
   
4. I want you to try to think up a domain name with only dictionary words and see how well you do. Big talk from an anonymous weenie.
   
5. I have a list of a few hundred potential domain names. It's something I do, so if you can remember 1 name out of several hundred that you wrote down a year ago, great for you then.
   
6. I believe you're a big fat turd with sausage fingers, given you hide behind anonymous to shield your real username.
   

Re:Some probabilistic inference

[blueZ3]

What do you mean, extremely unlikely?

The first one is obviously used by The King of Siam's Major Order of Worried Lemurs Acting Perfectly or Xylophone Needing Vampires Being Wheedled Like Queens of Another Nice Monarchy In Utah's Tasteless Kingdom, Looking at Everyone's Hiney

The other two are equally obvious

Re:I believe it happened to me....

[thrillseeker]

I believe you're a big fat turd with sausage fingers

No match for "BIGFATTURD.COM".
>>> Last update of whois database: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:54:43 UTC <<<

Just in case ...

Re:Some proof

[Chapter80]

I just tried checking a random domain on the networksolutions whois. ( 21laforest.com ) It's available so I'll check it a month from now to see if its snatched.

ha ha! Not a very controlled experiment.

• find an available name
• post it on slashdot
• check a month later to see if it's taken.

There are enough ass-tunnels out there (like me) who'd pay $8.95 just to screw up your experiment!

Re:Some proof

[jamar0303]

"There are enough ass-tunnels out there (like me)"

Thank you for that brilliant word. Ass-tunnel. Now I will forever associate you with Goatse (which I think is a visual representation of such).