Research and Extension recently had to scramble to change some of its web links and print materials because some .org web addresses were bought for re-use by unscrupulous advertisers. These advertisers wait for a “nice” site to become available and then pounce on it to market things not consistent with the goals of the original site.
For instance, many land-grant universities and other agriculture-related groups use information from Iowa State’s Midwest Plan Service (www.mwps.org), which produces publications on how to build barns, etc. When that entity stopped paying for its older, slightly longer .org address, someone bought the domain and used it advertise bikinis and such. K-State and other universities have had to change all their web and print materials to remove references to the old site.
A similar issue occurred earlier this year with a family-related .org address. Fortunately, web addresses with .edu domains are safe from this type of re-use.
What you can do
- Web authors who have links to .org web addresses should check those links regularly.
- Authors of a .org site should realize that if they ever stop paying for their domain, it can be bought and turned into something they wouldn’t want associated with their organization’s name.
