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by hga 4004 days ago
We indeed do that with land and housing, aka real estate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_possession

But the Internet landscape is very different and less finite in nature.

2 comments

(Keeping in mind that laws vary in different nations/states...) Adverse possession laws usually only apply if a squatter takes possession of a property without official title and uses that property for a length of time without being challenged. The principle of adverse possession might apply if Mehta had somehow hijacked the domain records and used the domain for a number of years without Kneen noticing and acting to retake control. Even then, adverse possession does not apply if the squatter used illegal means to obtain or keep control of the property (i.e., a domain hijacking).

But adverse possession does not simply allow one entity to come in, declare the owning entity to not be using a property, and assume legal control. As a land-owning entity, I am not required to "use" my land, and as long as I kick squatters out in a reasonable amount of time, adverse possession does not affect me.

The Internet is less finite than real estate?