Update: Wow! Two really big typos in the same article, tsk, tsk. That’s 160,000 MySpace friends, not 17,000. Big difference.

This is interesting. CyberSquatting, the process of registering domain names that are trademarks for the purpose of selling those domain names back to the trademark holders, has long since been made illegal. However, with the advent of MySpace.com, it seems that a new version of squatting has emerged: MySpace sites with trademark names.

Now, in this particular case, the person with the MySpace account was in fact a supporter of Barack Obama’s and building a list of friends to support the candidacy. However, with 160,000 MySpace friends at his beck and call, you can sorta see why the Obama camp might get a bit nervous about the messaging. I mean, can you imagine 160,000 people listening to me as a representative of Eric Massa? Of course not!

Obama Takes Over MySpace Page

WASHINGTON (AP) - Is MySpace always mine or can it belong to someone else?At the cost of losing 160,000 friends, Democrat Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has taken over control of the MySpace page listed under his name on the popular social networking site.

The Obama camp wanted the page, the guy who runs it wanted 40-large for it. He says he’s hurt. He says he’s lost interest in Barack Obama. But that’s CyberSquatting, which is why MySpace stepped in to resolve the matter. You wouldn’t have to pay to get the name of your company back as a domain name; you wouldn’t have to pay to get your identity back; why should Barack Obama’s campaign need to fork over $40,000 to take control of a MySpace that clearly suggests it represents him?

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