Quick Guide to Understanding Domain Name

Identifying a Domain Name

A Domain Name is the identifying, digital location of a website that is comprised of a name or titles that is entered in-between the prefix ‘http://’ and the ending suffix, which typically begins with a ‘.’; the most common form of a Domain Name suffix is ‘.com’.

What is a Domain Name?

Upon the explosion of the Internet’s popularity with regard to society – both in a physical and virtual formulation – the opportunity for online enterprise gave way to marketing, commercial, and sales endeavors rooted within an online presence. Domain names - which are defined as the virtual, identifying locale of a specific website – have begun to be traded, bought, and sold as viable, money-making commodities – this expression of domain name ‘real estate’ has not only introduced new methods of commercial enterprise, but has also given way to technology-based criminal activity.

Domain Name Legality

In many cases that involve commercial activity with regard to a Domain Name, companies will utilize their respective business name or commercial identifier as the content of their Domain Name, and as a result, criminal activity known as ‘Cybersquatting’ began to emerge; Cybersquatting is the illegal, unlawful, and unethical commercial behavior exuded by an individual entity with regard to a Domain Name – cybersquatting can take place in a variety of forms:

The unwillingness to part with a Domain Name for illicit reasoning

The withholding of a Domain Name that copyrighted by an individual or entity


The extortion of monies or economic gain through the sale of a Domain Name