Domain Squatting

Domain squatting (also called cybersquatting) is the practice of registering internet domain names with the intent to profit from trademark goodwill or sell them at inflated prices to their rightful owners. The practice emerged in the 1990s when companies were slow to recognize the commercial importance of the internet.

Why Domain Squatting Matters

Domain squatting shaped early internet commerce by creating the first "digital land grab" and establishing the legal frameworks that still govern domain ownership today. The practice led to the 1999 Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and ICANN's dispute resolution policies, fundamentally defining how intellectual property works on the internet.