Ask HN: A porn-like site stole my [firstnamelastname].com domain. What to do?

Posted by korussian on Thursday June 07, 2012 @11:43PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I accidentally let my personal domain name, myfirstnamemylastname.com expire, and a Japanese porn-ish site immediately scooped it up. That was over a year ago, and they still seem to own it.

It doesn't make sense for them to have it, since I have an obscure Eastern-European name, and it's just that with a .com on the end.

This looks bad when potential employers, clients, and friends Google/search me. Instead I bought myfirstnamemylastname.ca (I'm Canadian) and myfirstnamemylastname.info, but the .com is still porny.

I want my domain back, but I don't want to launch/pay for huge legal proceedings. I certainly don't want to pay the Japanese company a ransom.

What's the simplest thing I should do?

This has been a thorn in my side for far too long, and I'll really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks in advance guys!

( 3 comments | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: A porn-like site stole my [firstnamelastname].com... by zensavona on Friday June 08, 2012 @12:19AM (#4082658)

Either offer them some money or deal with it I guess.

You have no real right to your name as a domain name... If you let them buy it before you or let it expire, that's your loss unfortunately.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: A porn-like site stole my [firstnamelastname].com... by korussian on Friday June 08, 2012 @12:48AM (#4082731)

Wouldn't Apple or Google be able to prevent others from stealing out their domain names from under them? Wouldn't Steve Jobs or Bill Gates be able to? I don't know the law with regard to this, so I wonder if you're right, and there really is no resolution process.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: A porn-like site stole my [firstnamelastname].com... by xzcvczx on Friday June 08, 2012 @01:14AM (#4082785)

That is because they have trademarks that most courts would accept, noone has a trademark on their name. Well not normally anyway

[ Parent | on HN ]