Porn on Hotel Site - what should I do?

[Snow_White]

More than likely, the hotel was negligent and forgot to renew the domain in time. After that happened, anyone can legally buy the domain and do with it what they want. Most likely, it is the hotel's fault for not renewing the domain in a timely fashion.

Spyware has absolutely nothing to do with this. Nor do pop-ups or pop-up blockers.

 

[jsmith]

in addition to loosing control of the domain name because they did not renew it, domains, especailly of high traffic sites, regularly get Hijacked by those type of sites. As soon as the true owner of the site gets wind of it it gets straightended out pretty quickly, but i don't the the hotel chain has any liability for a crime commited against it

 

[jfulcer]

Here is a link I found for quite a lot of national chains. You can compare those links with the link you are following to see what may be up.

http://www.infousanet.com/global/hotels.htm

I checked 95% of these hotels on this page and didn't find anything untowards. Bummer.

 

[Serena]

Maybe they've fixed it already.

I know of one other site that was hijacked that way and emailed them. It was taken care of in a day or so.

 

[ScarlettO]

I really wish you'd give us the name of this MAJOR hotel .I get offers from about 6 major chains all the time.

 

[peachgirl]

I would be really happy with some gift certificates though. I do feel I am owed something for this. Am I wrong?

You were offended and your daughter was exposed to porn but if they toss a few gift certificates your way, all's well? Yes, you're wrong.

I was telling a very outspoken friend of mine who suggested I sue them for emotional damage to my daughter, but I think that is a bit drastic.

That's not drastic, that's ridiculous. I seriously doubt that your daughter was in any way emotionally damaged by the few seconds of a flickering image she was exposed to.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Let me explain this AGAIN. I guess some people read 1/2 a post and then post an opinion.

IT WAS NOT A POP-UP.

Yes, I know the site was hi-jacked - that is what it appears to be - it re-directs the actual site to a hijacked porn site.

I have a pop-up blocker. It was not a popup.

The site is NOT the official site - was not anything like www.hilton.com or www.marriot.com - it was the actual INDEPENDENT site of a hotel within the chain. You know how hotels still sometimes have their own webpage on top of being in the regular site's list? That is what it was.
You couldn't just go to a hotel list and 'find' it. You would have to look at the hotel in this city and know which one it is.

I will not post the site or the hotel. Too many teens and kids go on these boards and I am not going to be responsible for them looking at this stuff.

I feel the people that own that site should know whether or not their webpage is working, and should be held accountable for it. As I said before....it STARTS to load - you see the hotel logo and then boom, it switches to a porn site.

I am starting to regret even posting on this board. There is alot of negativity on it. Thats the only feeling I get from it.
I know that suing or anything like that is ridiculous - thats why I said I wouldn't do it. But gift certificates for owners of a hotel not watching their website I think is appropriate.

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

 

[SugarBear]

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

I guess that's who you need to ask for a free room.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I am starting to regret even posting on this board. There is alot of negativity on it.

If you're looking for a place where everybody is required to always agree with you, I'm not sure what to tell you. You posted that you feel somebody "owes"you something, and people have disagreed. Nobody has been nasty or mean about it, they just don't agree that you deserve compensation from this experience.

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

Well if the hotel doesn't even own the domain name, I'm not sure what they can do. It's like in the United States with the common White House Porn site that millions of people a year mistakenly end up at. Anybody surfing the internet takes a risk that something like this might happen.

Install NetNanny or another program that previews pages before displaying them if you're really bothered.

 

[SeaSpray]

Originally posted by Lollipop's Mom
I feel the people that own that site should know whether or not their webpage is working, and should be held accountable for it. As I said before....it STARTS to load - you see the hotel logo and then boom, it switches to a porn site.

I am starting to regret even posting on this board. There is alot of negativity on it. Thats the only feeling I get from it.
I know that suing or anything like that is ridiculous - thats why I said I wouldn't do it. But gift certificates for owners of a hotel not watching their website I think is appropriate.

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

Ok, first of all, what do you expect us to say when you go on about how horrible this site was, but then immediately follow that up by saying how a free night or two would make things OK, or some gift certificates.

Secondly, you just answered your own question regarding WHY this happened on that hotel's web site. Obviously someone else got a hold of that domain.

Personally, I don't feel that the hotel chain itself owes you anything. You called and alerted them to the fact, but there is nothing they can do at this point to change the content on that page because it doesn't belong to them anymore, if in fact it ever did.

There's nothing you can do about it at this point; unfortunately this is a sick world, getting worse all the time. It's a shame we can't search the internet for hotels without the worry of pornography popping up, but sadly, this is the reality of it.

P.S. I think it's crass that you even mentioned about wanting some form of compensation for this incident. Venting and being upset about it? Yes. Wanting compensation? Forget about it.

 

[Serena]

But you asked what we would do and we are offering honest opinions.
Did you really expect everyone to be in total agreement with you?

When you ask a question be prepared for good and bad responses. Take what you want and ignore the rest, it's your call.

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by Lollipop's Mom
But gift certificates for owners of a hotel not watching their website I think is appropriate.

Why should you be entitled to compensation? If the hotel doesn't even own that domain anymore, how were they responsible?

 

[Bojangles]

 

[Ranatra]

Originally posted by Lollipop's Mom
II would be really happy with some gift certificates though. I do feel I am owed something for this. Am I wrong?

Sorry but I do think you're wrong. I don't think you're entitled to anything. It happened, it was obviousy a mistake, hopefully the person you spoke to will get to the bottom of it.

 

[peachgirl]

Originally posted by Lollipop's Mom
Let me explain this AGAIN. I guess some people read 1/2 a post and then post an opinion.

And some people look for half an excuse to get something for nothing. In this case, you don't even have half...there's no earthly reason for the hotel chain to owe you any compensation.

I am starting to regret even posting on this board. There is alot of negativity on it. Thats the only feeling I get from it.

You asked for opinions, you got them. If what you wanted was for people to agree with you despite what they honestly thought, you should have said so.

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

And this makes the hotel owe you something why??? Looks like you need to put a call into Russia for your freebies...that is if you can get the correct phone number. Then again, you probably wouldn't care for what they have to offer.

If running into a porn site on the web is so upsetting to you, I suggest you stay off the internet. It happens all the time...no biggie.

 

[my3kids]

You notified the local hotel site, and you notified the national chain about the link. There's not much more you can do. If you have not notified the webmaster of both sites, do that, but otherwise, I'd just pick a different hotel in that city to stay in. Send an email to the chain and tell why you are staying in a different hotel; that they didn't care enough to maintain their name, so you took your business elsewhere.

You can't right their wrong. It can just be a good opening to discuss with your child why she must always have your permission to be online, why you carefully select her sites, and that there are just a lot of things online that are bad, and it is your job to protect her.

 

[Disney Doll]

So a hotel that doesn't own the website anymore is going to give you freebies because the new owners of the website have a porn site on it now?

If you've notifie the appropriate people at both the local and national hotel cahin, then there's not much else you can do.

You are owed nothing by the hotel, and I doubt that your daughter was seriously emotionally damaged by this, especially based on how you said you handled it with her.

Sorry if you're upset that we all don't agree that you're owed something, but you're not.

 

[tiggersmom2]

This is what I love about the DISboards, everyone gives you an honest opinion. I don't think you are owed any type of compensation. I'm not trying to be mean I'm just calling it as I see it. Your daughter will be exposed to much worse things than porn, just let this roll off your shoulders.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Snow_White
More than likely, the hotel was negligent and forgot to renew the domain in time. After that happened, anyone can legally buy the domain and do with it what they want. Most likely, it is the hotel's fault for not renewing the domain in a timely fashion.

Spyware has absolutely nothing to do with this. Nor do pop-ups or pop-up blockers.

For the scenario you just described, you are correct, those items would not work, but, she specifically said she got a pop up.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Lollipop's Mom
Let me explain this AGAIN. I guess some people read 1/2 a post and then post an opinion.

IT WAS NOT A POP-UP.

Yes, I know the site was hi-jacked - that is what it appears to be - it re-directs the actual site to a hijacked porn site.

I have a pop-up blocker. It was not a popup.

The site is NOT the official site - was not anything like www.hilton.com or www.marriot.com - it was the actual INDEPENDENT site of a hotel within the chain. You know how hotels still sometimes have their own webpage on top of being in the regular site's list? That is what it was.
You couldn't just go to a hotel list and 'find' it. You would have to look at the hotel in this city and know which one it is.

I will not post the site or the hotel. Too many teens and kids go on these boards and I am not going to be responsible for them looking at this stuff.

I feel the people that own that site should know whether or not their webpage is working, and should be held accountable for it. As I said before....it STARTS to load - you see the hotel logo and then boom, it switches to a porn site.

I am starting to regret even posting on this board. There is alot of negativity on it. Thats the only feeling I get from it.
I know that suing or anything like that is ridiculous - thats why I said I wouldn't do it. But gift certificates for owners of a hotel not watching their website I think is appropriate.

I also just looked up who owns the domain, and it has obviously been bought quickly before renewed. I can see that is the problem, as it is now registered to russia with a bunch of XXX for the names and a phony 555 phone number.

There was a link to a hotel (LARGE hotel chain all over the world) and when I clicked it, it started to load and then up popped the MOST GRUESOME porn site I have ever witnessed (not that I have really seen many, but you know how some links go to them).

Read what you wrote. They way you wrote it, it sure sounded like a pop up to me, and obvously a bunch of other folks.

You want compensation because someone lost track of their webstie. Sorry but that is absured. Our site got hijacked a few months ago, it had nothing to do with not renewing, it was hacked. I would hate to think that someone would sure me because some fool found it fun to hijack a site.
Besides, if you were that scandilized, you sure are easily bought off.

Many people have asked you to pm them the site, and you have not complied, so, in light of that, we really don't have any idea of what you are talking about.