Cybersquatting Enters Political Race 

Sept. 11, 2002

Saying "the Web is crucial" in today's political campaigns, California Assembly candidate Dan Dow has an official Web site: Dandow.com. 

But he's also registered the URLs JohnDutra.com, JohnDutra.net and JohnDutra.org.
And incumbent Assemblyman John Dutra — Dan Dow's opponent in the upcoming election for California's 20th District — is none too pleased that his name is being used against him in the campaign.

"Unethical, amoral, and totally inappropriate," said two-term Democrat Dutra. "I was shocked. It was Machiavellian. It was 'ends justifies the means' politics."

"We were surprised that John Dutra hadn't purchased that domain," Dow said incredulously.

Interested voters happening by JohnDutra.com may expect to see platform positions from the candidate and his record as a state legislator — in other words, key information about the Dutra campaign. Instead, the site, owned and operated by Dutra's opponent, slams him on all sorts of issues.

"Numerous people have told us they think it's funny and it shows that he's out of touch with the technology of the times," said Dow, a Republican.

Which brings up the following issue: How could the Dutra campaign not have registered its candidate's name on the Net?

More details at: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/TechTV/techtv_cybersquattingpols020911.html

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