Forwarding

[Mark.T]

What are the legal issues, if any, of forwarding traffic to someone elses website, free of charge?

Some time ago, we registered a couple of domains for a client who was thinking of buying company A. The domains related to company A's own web site name.

The client did not go through with the deal and left the domains with us.

With nothing else to do with them, we simply pointed them at company A's web site by setting up URL Forwarding.

Aside from all the potential issues that would arise if we tried to intercept that traffic in any way, can the forum think of any direct legal issues that arise purely from the act of forwarding traffic?

 

[Corey]

Do you have anything in writing from your client or Company A?

 

[Mark.T]

No.

The whole project was just abandoned and nothing has been done or said about it for years.

Technically, we own the domains and I was just curious as to whether we were doing anything illegal by send them any traffic that may have been generated.

 

[BitcoinDK]

I cant see why there should be anything illegal to forward the domain related to Company A's own domainname to them.

I think you did a nice thing forwarding to them, even though the deal didnt went through.

What you are doing is actually help drive traffic to them, it is not like you misuse the domain and redirect the traffic to your own site or use it commercial.

If its a TM name and you missue the domain then it would be a problem, but what you describe.

Why don't you contact Company A to see if they were interested in the domain, and transfered to them for the reg. fee. That would show good intention and moral, imo.

Best regards,

 

[Mark.T]

I cannot see why they would object either but I was curious about the abstract point of law and I happened to have a real example I could use to illustrate the question.

Is it illegal to send traffic to someone else's web site?

If, for example, I stood outside a store I had no connection with and (with a permit) handed out leaflets extolling the virtue of that store. The shop owner might find it weird, but is it actionable?

I suppose someone could be concerned if there was significant traffic through the forwarded domain about the future improper uses should the forwarding domain owner divert that traffic.

Mark.T