Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


0

Insider Trading May Have Net Variant

Agency investigates claims of shady profits from domain names

Share

(Newser) – Someone call Michael Milken: Insider trading trailblazers may have found a new perch online. ICANN is investigating a poaching practice it's calling “front running,” in which buyers with inside information grab desirable domain names before others can register them. Speculation on the shadowy URL snatchers runs to viruses and other software that monitor interest in available domains, the AP reports.

But ICANN allowed it may just be coincidence that desirable names are being registered before more interested buyers have a shot—that is, maybe the online insider traders don’t exist at all. But if they are real, the supervisory agency says, they’re comparable to stock brokers that act in advance of clients’ trades—and they’re giving oversight a bad name.

People enter ICANN's public forum Thursday, March 29 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Attention at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers meeting has been drawn to whether the implementation of a new ''.xxx'' domain name for pornographic and adult Web sites will be approved. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
People enter ICANN's public forum Thursday, March 29 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Attention at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers meeting has been drawn to whether the implementation...   (Associated Press)
Internet business partners Ari Goldberger, left, and Larry Fischer, demonstrate how they search and buy domain names on the Internet, an estimated $2 billion industry, in New York, Tuesday July 3 , 2007. Over the years, Goldberger and Fischer have sharpened their formula for acquiring domain names and developing the sites,...
Internet business partners Ari Goldberger, left, and Larry Fischer, demonstrate how they search and buy domain names on the Internet, an estimated $2 billion industry, in New York, Tuesday July 3 , 2007....   (Associated Press)
People attending ICANN's public forum use their laptops during the debate Thursday, March 29 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Attention at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers meeting has been drawn to whether the implementation of a new ''.xxx'' domain name for pornographic and adult Web sites will...
People attending ICANN's public forum use their laptops during the debate Thursday, March 29 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Attention at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers meeting has...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
0 comments
VIEWING:
 
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

23 Stories

Web Addresses Will Gain International Flavor

Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew domains, among others, will have support by 2010: ICANN

Oct 26, 09 5:12 PM CDT
(Newser) - In the biggest change ever to the system, Web domains will soon be available in the native scripts of Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, and other non-Latin-based languages. A proposal expected to be approved this week means “Internationalized Domain Names” could be up and running as soon as mid-2010. China and... More »

MORE ABOUT:
China • Internet • Thailand • globalization • domain names • Chinese • Arabic • Internet domains • ICANN • World Wide Web • web domain • Hebrew • communications

Virus 'Scareware'
Scams Millions

Alarming virus warnings part of major rip off

Oct 19, 09 5:07 AM CDT
(Newser) - Alarming warnings that internet surfers' computers are being invaded by a devastating virus are almost always scams used to either hack into computers or rip off consumers for phony protective software. More than 40 million people have fallen victim to the "scareware" scam in the past year. Experts have... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • hacker • computer virus • scam • computer • antivirus • scareware



 Jessica Biel Is 
 Most Dangerous 
 Celeb Online 

Searches for actress yield most viruses, spyware: McAfee

Aug 25, 09 10:01 AM CDT
(AP) - Jessica Biel is the most dangerous celebrity on the web, says a security tech firm. McAfee reported that searches for the 27-year-old actress are more likely to lead to online threats such as spyware and viruses than searches for any other celebrity. Fans searching for the actress have a one-in-five... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • celebrity • computer virus • spyware • McAfee • Jessica Biel

23 Stories


How to appraise domain names
CircleID

Have too many domains to track? Let brand new Domainer.com do it for you
Domainer.com


Business  •  Technology 
TwitterFollow @NewserBusiness on Twitter

 
Internet • insider trading • domain names • computer virus • Michael Milken • ICANN

from our news partners