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02|25|2008 04:07 pm EDT

Nigger.com – Network Solutions Promoting Racism and Profiting?

by Adam Strong in Categories: Registrars

UPDATE : Within minutes of running this story we are receiving reports that the http://www.Nigger.com page has been taken down, while http://nigger.com may still be up. I’m guessing DNS will propogate throughout the day and this page will no longer show by day’s end.

Nigger.com imageNigger.com, a domain name containing likely of one of the most controversial and overtly racist words in the English language is currently owned by the NAACP. The domain name which was likely set by the organization to not resolve has been “taken over” by the domain registrar Network Solutions. Digg this story

The domain name registrar, like most registrars, takes over control of domain names that do not resolve to a working DNS and displays advertisement links on a “parked page”. Typically the sites display advertising or information pertaining to the topic and optimized based on the keywords used in the domain name. In the case of Nigger.com the “parked page” is currently displaying among other things an image of predominantly white teens smiling and links to “Funny Black Jokes” and “Ethnic Jokes”. Click on the image above to see the full screen grab.

The “hijacking” of this domain name is an example of what has become a standard practice for registrars in taking over control of domain names within their system that are not being used. The obvious misuse in this case clearly exhibits a disregard for any common decency in an attempt to “money grab” any and all domain name traffic. Other examples of this “take over” policy border on illegal such as the example of the domain name TimexWatches.com. Network Solutions takes over this domain name and clearly is displaying and profiting from links to advertisements infringing on the Timex brand. The name happens to be owned by Timex Corporation, and they are likely as unaware of the misuse of this domain name as the NAACP is of the misuse of their domain name.

The Nigger.com and TimexWatches.com domain names are a clear example of why registrars should not be allowed to take control of the content of a domain name simply because the DNS was not resolving. There isn’t a shadow of a doubt that the mission of the NAACP does not coincide with the displaying of ads promoting racist jokes and NSI should be in no position to control or profit from what is displayed on this domain.

Network Solutions should be ashamed of themselves and should pay all money made from the advertisements on this domain name (and then some) to the NAACP. Digg this story

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  • http://www.toddmintz.com Todd Mintz

    I think Network Solutions is having a very bad day…

  • Antoinette

    Moniker has a default advertising page for all domains that are not parked. As far as I know the domain name owners don’t receive a share of any revenues. I think the default should be a blank page or an Under Construction page but registers using unparked domains for advertising seems to be a common practice.

    Any registers who don’t do this?

  • RJ

    Bad picture too.. a bunch of smirking white kids staring downwards at someone. I wonder if any of them know their picture is up on nigger.com?

    Domain is still fully resolving here, btw.

  • http://www.domainnamewire.com Andrew @ Domain Name Wire

    would hate to be in their PR department right now

  • http://GetRichSlowly.com Steve M.

    Time for another lawsuit.

  • http://www.davezan.com Dave Zan

    Time for another lawsuit.

    They got one now. :D

  • Sergio

    Hey guys, just an update: NetSol has wisely changed the site’s content to say “This Site Is Under Construction”.
    The next question is, will sedo follow suit and do the same with the plural version of the “N” word?

  • Jonathan

    [That word which should not be mentioned] I bet has a lot of traffic of just people typing in. I think that if the content inside the page is not offensive, then it should let be.

    [That word which should not be mentioned] could have a paragraph or two, or even links to organizations that help people be sensitive to racial issues.

    So, my personal take on the issue is that [That word which should not be mentioned].com site isn’t offensive just because it’s name is offensive. It can be turned around for good. I bet that if the person drops it, many would be willing to take it. I know I would take the name just because of the huge type in traffic potential that it has. I would however be very careful that any link/advertising or content is not offensive, or even better, that the content is educational towards sensitivity of racial issues.

  • Cartoonz

    Jonathan : “…I know I would take the name just because of the huge type in traffic potential that it has. I would however be very careful that any link/advertising or content is not offensive, or even better, that the content is educational towards sensitivity of racial issues.”

    Are you a MORON?????

  • Dey

    This is a sad commentary for both SEDO, and especially Network Solutions. Even sadder is the fact the NAACP owns this domain, but had no one checking to see how it was being optimized. Someone was asleep at the wheel, in both cases.

    Does anyone know how this story got on the radar?

    Dey

  • pb

    “The Nigger.com and TimexWatches.com domain names are a clear example of why registrars should not be allowed to take control of the content of a domain name simply because the DNS was not resolving.”

    I totally agree. Registrars of gTLDs have all too many opportunities to abuse domain names – including taking over the domains for their own pleasure (e.g. as Tucows recently announced). Many things in gTLDs are pretty ridiculous from a ccTLD market point of view.

  • Cartoonz

    Yes, Dey… I know exactly how this got on the radar because I found it.

    Now, even more ridiculous is the fact that when I called the NAACP to tell them what NSI was doing with thier domain name, they told me I’d have to write them a letter and send it via POSTAL MAIL! Gee, glad they care so much, huh?

  • Dey

    Cartoonz,

    Thanks for the info. Yeah, their response was asinine. Shame on you for interfering with their day.

  • arty

    maybe the naacp was just being a bunch of lazy [that word which should not be mentioned]

  • http://profiles.google.com/joebbowers Joe Bowers

    The website isn’t being hijacked, it’s a placeholder because the NAACP isn’t using their domain. When they registered it, they could choose to have the website redirect to another website, go nowhere (error message) or load the placeholder that you are seeing. It’s not the registrar’s fault if their customers are too lazy or stupid to manage their purchase.