WebProNews

Network Solutions really didn't need any more public relations disasters after the controversy of automatically registering searched-for domains and "protecting" them for a $35 fee. Though this new controversy may not be quite the hyperbole it's made out to be in some places, it does come with some potentially serious issues.

Network Solutions Logo
(Photo Credit: Network Solutions)

TechCrunch reported NetSol was "hijacking" unassigned subdomains and slapping spammy paid links on them. The proprietor of GotGame.com was surprised to learn that app.gotgame.com (no longer in service since news broke) had links to online poker sites, courtesy of NetSol. It was later reported that GoDaddy has a similar unused subdomain practice.

Commentators at the TechCrunch thread sang a rousing march of class action lawsuit potentiality. NetSol appeared to be riding the cash cow under webmaster radar. Hang on a second and I'll find another metaphor to end this paragraph with: Over 300,000 known subdomains were revealed to have more spam than a grocery store shelf.

I guess, technically, that's not a metaphor.

ArsTechnica, though, took the time to dig into NetSol's 59,000-word Service Agreement (yick) and shovel out a load of legalese that says NetSol customers may have indeed given permission to have any inactive webpage on their site used as a spam shelf.

Having the language buried in a EULA agreement doesn't necessarily let NetSol off the hook for shady behavior, though. Back when Eliot Spitzer was still on top of the world, he didn't have any qualms about suing and fining companies for being sneaky like that. The Electronic Frontier Foundation hasn't been too friendly toward unfair EULAs, either.

At least NetSol allows customers to opt out of the program in their account settings. Opt-out policies themselves are controversial—just ask Google and Facebook.

What's not clear yet, though, is whether the links placed on the websites pass PageRank, thus creating a Google penalty bull's eye, amid a number of other SEO concerns. Network Solutions did not get back with me yet about whether the links are no follow or whether there was any way the link pages could affect a website's search ranking.