Comcast Starts Typosquatting Domain Names
Cable provider latest ISP to hijack typo traffic.
Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) has introduced a “Domain Helper service”, which redirects web address typos to a page featuring pay-per-click advertisements. The pages also include a link to a web site that may be what you were originally looking for and organic search results.
The service is very similar to what ISPs such as Verizon and Time Warner, and computer manufacturers such as Dell and Gateway have instituted. The services are akin to typosquatting, but ISPs tend to rationalize them by saying they help clients find what they’re looking for and that clients can opt-out.
In comments submitted to ICANN regarding Implementation Recommendation Team proposals to combat cybersquatting, some commentors counting eNom called out Verizon for its apparent hypocrisy. Both Verizon and Dell are members of Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse. Verizon was sued over the scheme in response to a lawsuit Verizon itself filed against a typosquatter.
Does your ISP kindly redirect non-existent domain names for you? Help Reglike collect examples of these error landing pages. Capture a screenshot of a non-existent typo of Reglike.com and Verizon.com. E-mail it to editor (at) domainnamewire.com counting the name of your ISP, the service (such as Fios or DSL) and the city you reside in.
