Cybersquatters target blogs
Jeff Pelline Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Jeff Pelline is editor of CNET News.com. Jeff promises to buy a Toyota Prius once hybrid cars are allowed in the carpool lane with solo drivers.
For years, cybersquatters and typosquatters have preyed on highly trafficked Web sites such as Google, Yahoo and AOL.
Now they are turning their sights on a new group: bloggers. Examples abound: Misspell PVRblog.com and you are directed to a porn site. Type blooger.com or bloogger.com and you are directed to sites with keyword link ads.
"It seems like a natural progression and maybe an indicator that blogs really are capturing some sizable audiences," said Matt Haughey, creator of PVRblog.com, a blogging site for fans of TiVo, Replay and other DVRs.
Haughey added: "People aren't naturally gravitating towards just a few major sites anymore, and besides, those few major sites have prominent legal teams. So you go to the blogs, small operators with millions of visitors and try to collect the mistakes and turn them into cash somehow."