Microsoft slaps suits on cyber pretenders

Purloined trademarks in third-party domain names have triggered lawsuits from Microsoft

Microsoft has launched an offensive against domain-squatters who register web addresses containing its trademarked product names.

Attorney Aaron Kornblum is leading Microsoft’s case. He said in a statement that “placing a high profile or pop culture trademark in your domain name is a tempting but illegal way to generate pay-per-click revenue”.

In response to these domain registrations, and as part of an ongoing policy of protecting its intellectual property, the firm has filed three lawsuits against firms that have registered domains such as www.windowslivetutorial.com and www.halochamp.com, arguing that they benefit from their apparent association with Microsoft’s products.

Although Microsoft was able to identify four individuals responsible, it said that it has also filed a “John Doe” suit against an as yet unidentified third party.

Microsoft estimates that around 2000 domain names containing its trademarks are registered every day.