Domain squatting made easy?
So, you mean, small-scale squatters are okay; large-scale squatters are not?
The person owns the domain, they can do with it as they please. So if they want to rent it out, then they can ask money for it... It's your choice if you agree to their terms and make any exchange.
You do not own a domain. That is false right off the bat. And no, you cannot do with it as you please. For example, buying a trademarked name and then trying to extort money out of the owner of said trademark is not allowed.
If you are renting a domain with the sole intent to deprive someone else the ability to use it unless they pay an extortionist fee, that is wrong. It goes against the free spirit that the internet was built on. The fee charged is at least in part to prevent a massive "land grab" of domains that are to be sold off at absurd prices.
I've had experiences in the past of letting a domain expire and then being "ready" to use it a few years down the line. Of course, it was invariably squatted, and had been since I'd let it go, and would cost more than I was able to justify paying to get it back.
On the other hand, I actually had a working project running on wishmash.com that wasn't getting enough traffic to make it worthwhile, so I sold the domain when I got a reasonable offer. If I hadn't sold it, though, would that have have been "squatting is squatting is squatting" as well? I could put up forums and/or tiny sites on all domains I have -- then it wouldn't be squatting either?
There's a whole range of possible levels of domain usage. I don't have any domain that I haven't spend at least a few hours researching the space & competitors, documenting implementation (and sometimes starting it), and so on.
I'm sure I won't actually build some of these projects. But I don't know which. Of course from the outside this can look the same as a simple squatter hoping for a big payout; but that doesn't mean it is the same.
That is what makes you not a squatter. If you were trying to squeeze thousands of dollars out of those domains? yeah, I'd call you a squatter.
Actually no.
The closest true definition I [1] can come up with for "squatting" [2] would be defined as such (from wikipedia):
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"Cybersquatting (also known as domain squatting), according to the United States federal law known as the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price."
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So to clear up any misconception there is no problem registering a domain that a) you don't intend to use or b) you plan to sell or c) being in the business of buying and selling domains as long as you don't break any existing laws around trademarks (as only one example). Of course there are also issues with UDRP's and law firms reverse hijacking domains but that's an entirely different subject.
Lastly of course people who can't get the domain they want always will throw around the "c" word as if it's simply not fair that they can't have what they want when they want it. In a similar vein people are also opposing legitimate real estate and other property transactions if it personally effects them.
[1] I operate an ICANN registrar and I've been in this business since 1996. I've been quoted in the NY Times on domains and many other places. I'm one of the people asked about this type of thing and consult on the subject.
I still think it's squatting if I registered yoursurname.com, even though it's not a trademark and wouldn't meet your definition under the ACPA.
I still think it's squatting if I have no intention of ragging you in to buying yoursurname.com from me. Maybe I just derive satisfaction from having something you want?
You are absolutely right when it comes down to trademarked names or typos when somebody's rights are getting abused. But other than that banning the ownership of domains which one doesn't use is just ludicrous.
It is almost like arguing that any real estate ownership should be forbidden that goes beyond the personal use. A deeply anti-free market attitude that has in my view no place in reality.
Like you say, there are egregious examples out there which clearly fall under squatting, but I think there's also the sentiment that domains are a tool and identity. The idea that someone thought up a really clever name and then do nothing with it but sit on it for sale tends to stir up the same emotions people have toward patent trolls.
"Yeah, they own the patent, but it's obvious! And they're not even using it to make stuff!" ... or the like.
I'm not waiting for cash, I'm waiting for time. Every now & then I do get to one of them.
Though -- I don't often get requests to purchase (except for the domain that has a working business... I get requests for that all the time). But do people not approach me because they're sure I'll try to squeeze out every possible penny from them?
It's not a great situation, though I'm happy to hear suggestions.
This is a the biggest problem I have too. I think to myself, I'm going to build something with this eventually, but "eventually" never comes since spare time has been transformed into Unobtanium. Plus the motivation necessariy to start a project and see through to fruition is very hard to come by and I don't feel like starting if it seems I won't be able to finish.
If the name is interesting enough, I can guarantee that they think they'll get squeezed. The only offers I do get are for things that are live, but look (or genuinely are) underutilized.
Even so I highly dislike this attitude that free markets are inviolate, perfect silver bullets.
Real estate is bad example as things such as zoning, HOAs, and eminent domain will force you to use / not use / or sell your property