Wall Street Journal: Internet Companies See Value In Misaddressed Web Traffic (Sub. Req.)

Stealing Trash

Currently, when an incorrect address is entered into a browser, the user is directed either to a 404 page or to an MSN or AOL search page. This could soon change. These incorrectly entered addresses, referred to as "trash traffic," are now being explored for revenue potential.

Internet registry company Verisign is experimenting with a system that can re-direct people who incorrectly enter an address to a site of their choosing, usurping the efforts of AOL and MSN to capture this traffic. There is potentially big money in this for Verisign and others who could generate revenue from advertising and other sources. AOL and MSN are not happy about it.

Because this redirect technology modifies DNS servers, some feel it could have a devastating effect on email, confusing delivery routes. A much scarier scenario is the thought that this technology could be highjacked and used by scamware companies to redirect users to their own sites. Call it the Pop-in.