Google continues assault on domain names monetized through survey sites.

Google has filed a UDRP case against the owner of three Gmail typos that forward to “survey” sites.

The three domains — gmaill.com, gmal.com, and gmiail.com — all lead to a page on VideoRewardsNow.com that have a logo oddly similar to Gmail’s logo:

Once users complete the three question “survey” they are invited to select a prize such as an iPad. But in order to get that prize they must complete online offers.

Google has been aggressively going after sites monetized like this, including filing cases against multiple YouTube related sites and Goggle.com. It lost the case for Goggle.com because of some prior history with the domain, but I suspect that case isn’t over yet.

I suspect Google is more concerned with these sites compared to pay-per-click parked pages because they can create ill will toward the company.

Distributed listing systems avoid duplicate sales.

One of the fears people have of listing domains at buy now prices is that they’ll accidentally sell it after they no longer own it.

I don’t know about you, but when I sell a domain on one marketplace I don’t immediately go remove it from other marketplaces. This presents the real possibility that, should I have listed it with a buy now price on two marketplaces, it could sell twice. That would put me in a bind.

To prevent this I usually list a domain with a buy now price at only one venue.

But you don’t have to do this with Afternic’s and Sedo’s systems. Because they are integrated with your registrar they automatically pull your inventory if there’s a change in owners.

For example, let’s say I list the same domain on both platforms. It sells on one. The other venue will automatically remove it from its listings when the domain transfers out of my registrar account.

Simonetta Batteiger, the Product Manager for SedoMLS, explains how this works for Sedo:

The SedoMLS system asks our participating registrars to notify us if a domain listed in the SedoMLS network is sold elsewhere. However, even if that notification does not come through, you would not be able to proceed with a SedoMLS Premium sale for that domain listing. Our system has a safeguard built in which ensures that we only allow for the sale of inventory that is still available with the current registrar.

Batteiger tells me that Sedo is working to extend some of this “safety net” to regular Sedo listings as well.

Bob Mountain, VP of Business Development for NameMedia (which runs Afternic), says it has a similar system:

Afternic DLS was designed specifically to handle that scenario. Our Instant Transfer system will remove domains from Afternic DLS Premium Promotion if they are sold elsewhere. Our integration with member registrars automatically detects changes in member domain ownership, enabling us to avoid duplicate sales for the same domain.

Movie studio buys probable film name and other big names make domain name purchases.

It was a great week for end user domain sales at Afternic.

Starting things off, Universal Studios bought PrepareforBattle.com for $1,688. I can’t find information about a movie it plans to release by this name, but you can bet your money on it.

Another notable sale was McDonald’s purchase of MCIN.com for $3,373. I didn’t realize the company also owns MCD.com. It apparently only uses that for corporate email right now.

With the World Series in full swing (go Cards!) bat maker Louisville Slugger bought SweetestSpot.com for $2,500. The company is branding around the “Sweetest Spots” for its bats.

Here’s an interesting registration from Teleractive. The company owns Zoove, which offers vanity “Star Star” numbers. In other words **something that can be dialed from your mobile phone. It paid $1,595 to buy PoundPound.com, which perhaps is another way to offer these vanity numbers.

Another interesting end user buy comes courtesy of Buzz All Stars. The company plans to launch a social gaming system for live sports. It owns BuzzAllStars.com and purchased BuzzBaseball.com for $2,710.

Vacation rental site AmericanSnowbird.com bought SnowBirdRentals.com for $3,000.

Russell Tarleton bought PatentRegistry.com for $2,188. A Google search for the name brings up a number of an Intellectual Property attorney in Seattle.

Teofila Logistics LLC bought Teofila.com for $1,500.

UK based First Option Solutions Limited, which creates “bespoke” software, bought BespokeSoftware.com for $8,800.

The University of Tulsa Law School (or someone who goes there) bought TheBillofRights.org for $1,200.

Ave23.com bought 23rd.com for $14,300. This is an interesting site. Here’s how they describe it:

Every day, the AVE23 community uploads tens of thousands of the latest looks, from the hottest parties in New York to the streets of London and the runways of Paris and Milan. Our Fashion Hunters also work around the clock capturing the latest images of trend-setting celebrities, models and anyone cool.

Simply choose the look you want and with our proprietary technology, we will find you the most visually products from our database of hundreds of millions of images, which is updated daily just for you.

23rd.com is much better than Ave23.com as a name.

Software company coolOrange upgraded from CoolOrange.net to CoolOrange.com for $1,700.

Embrace Home Loans bought EmbraceSimplicity.com for $1,288. It already owns EmbraceHomeLoans.com.

Mind Matters Technologies, which owns US-MindMatters.com, bought MindMatters.net for $1,688.

Investment immigration consulting and brokerage agency MICON bought NothingButSavings.com for $1,250.

Here are some other quick hits:

U-Turn Vending Machines bought HealthyCravings.com for $1,941.

Best Rate Insurance bought MyDrivingRecord.com for $1,219.

Annuity Think Tank bought PrivatePensionPlan.com for $1,488.

Alliance Auto Body Parts Inc bought AllianceAuto.com for $1,250.

Service Management S.A. bought SManagement.com for $1,100.

Standard Marine & Ship Repair, Inc. bought StandardMarine.com for $3,321.

Accredited domain name registrars and ICANN work to amend RAA.

During the ICANN meeting in Dakar, ICANN and registrars will announce that they’re working to amend the current Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) to address security concerns and provided “increased protections for registrants”.

Apparently this has been in the works for a while and is not a snap reaction to increased pressure by law enforcement agencies during the meeting.

ICANN accredited registrars and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers have opened negotiations to amend and update the current Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). The negotiations are in response to the development of a list of recommendations made by law enforcement agencies and the broader Internet community to provide increased protections for registrants and greater security overall.

The face-to-face negotiations will occur regularly with the intention to arrive at a new agreement prior to ICANN’s 43rd public meeting, scheduled for 11-16 March 2012 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

To ensure transparency, registrars and ICANN will update the community regarding the substance and progress of negotiations. Decision rationale will be included as part of those communications and at the time the new agreement is published for public comment.

ICANN has never had a formal policy against registry-registrar cross-ownership.

ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom has responded to European Commission Commissioner Neelie Kroes on the issue of cross ownership between domain name registrars and registries, also know as vertical integration.

Kroes sent a letter to Beckstrom in June expressing concern over vertical integration and potential competition concerns.

Beckstrom explains (pdf) that ICANN has never had a strict policy against registry-registrar ownership. We all know that Afilias had a number of registrar owners.

Here’s how Beckstrom explains it:

Some have had the misperception that ICANN adopted a formal polity that restricted any registry from owning more than 15% of any registrar. That is not the case. ICANN has never adopted any overarching policy that restricts the ability of a registry to own an interest in an registrar. Although ICANN’s agreement with VeriSign (and certain other registries) does limit VeriSign’s ability to own an interest in a registrar, ICANN has long permitted registrars to own interests in registries (and several registrars today do own interests in registries). The “15%” limitation referenced in the [European Commission's] Non-paper was the product of negotiation (not any policy development process) and was intended to apply only to the parties to that particular contract (signed in 1999), at which time Network Solutions was the only commercial Internet registry and the only commercial Internet registrar.