Twitter Cybersquatting?
Lately, the revenue generating intentions of Twitter are becoming clearer. Twitter already understands that businesses see a great value in operating a twitter account, and they tend to search for their revenue there. It sounds like a great idea.
However, a phenomenom that has been quite negligible up until now has become significant: cybersquatting over twitter. The value of having a branded Twitter account is so clear to businesses and Twitter alike; this value is also clear to opportunists who are squatting the twitter account names from big companies, probably with future monetization ideas in mind.
Try it for yourself, it’s fun! Just think of a big corporation and see if there is already a twitter account with its name. While some businesses seem to have been fast enough to secure their Twitter account (@google, @facebook), some slower reacting corporations have been squatted already. It’s hard to believe @microsoft, @apple, @chevrolet and @audi are really representatives from the corresponding companies.
I wonder when Twitter will start paying attention to this issue and how they intend to solve it. Any ideas?
This is already addressed in the TOS. If a company or known individual complains about abuse of an account (TM’d or otherwise) Twitter may seize and transfer ownership of that account or at the least suspend it.
I’ve heard of individuals having a hard time getting anywhere with twitter but I’m sure @chevrolet would get pulled pretty quick if they got a DM from @GMLegalDept.
Jeremy
22 Mar 09 at 7:07 am
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