Starting in 2007, many Internet Service Providers have begun to redirect unused subdomains. For instance, if you go to http://nonexisting.google.com and you are a Charter cable customer using Charter’s DNS servers, this is what you’ll get in return. Charter is not the first, though. Other ISP’s like Embarq, Verizon, Earthlink and others have begun doing the same. Why do they do this? To make money off the errant traffic from mistyped or exploratory subdomain typos. It’s considered a form of domain ‘typosquatting.’

A domain is a digital property registered to whomever owns the domain registration. Subdomains of that registered domain are also the property of the same registrant. By redirecting traffic away from unused subdomains, these ISP’s are doing a number of questionable things:

  • First, they are trespassing on my domains.
  • Second, they are trespassing with intent to redirect my domains for profit.
  • Third, trespassing and profit by theft is piracy.
  • Fourth, according to Common Carrier rules, transferring a digital signal – voice, email, internet, ftp – all recognized protocols should be transferred from their original request with their true value – not edited or changed in any way.

The breach of Common Carrier also trespasses against the owner of the hosting server, who is entrusted with the care of transferring served data for those who use their hosting services.

ISP’s are pushing the limits of legallity, morals and ethics in this arena and others.

Browse this site to find out more about what others are saying.

Learn more about how you can take action to make ISP’s stop redirecting traffic for any reason.

Are you a domain owner or a hosting server? Shouldn’t you be angry that ISP’s are stealing your trust and your property to the benefit of ISP shareholders and nobody else?