Blog Squatters
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Hi,
Is there anything you can do about blog squatters?
I would like to use the following:benthebeagle.wordpress.com
This has already been registered as a blog, however there is nothing there but the default wordpress stuff when you first create a blog. I also tried; beagleben.wordpress.com and this is also a default blog. While there is nothing that I can obviously prove but I suspect that both these have been registered by the same person.
Is there anyway that you wordpress support can look into who owns these blog names, if they are the same person and also how many active/inactive blogs this person has?
Also is there anyway that either of these blog names could be released so that I could use them?
I know this sounds like sour grapes but to register a blog name and do nothing with it since the blog was registered strikes me as rather odd and a Blog Squatter.
Thanks,
Dave
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WordPress.com never releases personal information about its bloggers without their permission. Unless you have an international trademark, it’s unclear what right you would have to those URLs.
If you suspect you know who owns them, contact them and ask them if they’ll give them to you. Otherwise, pick a new URL.
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I wouldn’t want anyone’s personal info.
I just think its not right for people to take something they aren’t using.
Its rather rude imho! -
100% with you… I have the same issue with peterjohn.wordpress.com – at the very least it would be cool if WP would offer a notification service whereby a registered wordpress user could send the owner of another blog a notification or request of sort… just a “there is someone interested in using your blog name” type message that they can respond to if they’re willing to release the URL.
It’s not about trademarks or legal rights of ownership… it’s about fair usage policy and simple decency.
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First-If the site in question has an open comment form or contact form, use it to try and contact the site owner to see if they are interested in transferring the site to you.
Second-you can register your own custom domain name and it doesn’t matter what the underlying WordPress.com URL is, it won’t show up to readers.
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I can only assume that you didn’t bother checking the site that I referred to. There is no content apart from the default auto-installed “About” page. Not a single post. Hence no comment form. Nevermind a contact form.
That you’d assume I simply haven’t tried anything is somewhat insulting.
I already have my own domain. Several, in fact. Domains cost money. The point is not that I have no clue how to get a WordPress site up. I really am smart enough to come up with another name. The point is instead that the name I would like to use is being squatted (that is, it is reserved for use, but not being used in a fair way).
Squatters are a problem, and WordPress should be able to come up with a creative solution to the problem.
At the very least, provide registered users a way to contact other registered users via their username. I don’t need their email address. I don’t need to know their name. I don’t need to know their home phone number or how many kids they have. A built-in contact form, if you will. A “Contact the owner of this blog” link in the toolbar. Whatever.
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I didn’t assume anything. I looked at the site you mentioned and on the About page there is an open comment form. Perhaps you overlooked it.
Cheers!
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