Microsoft files suit over "click laundering"

After an investigation spanning more than a year, Microsoft Corp. has filed two lawsuits involving what it says is a new and alarming type of click fraud used by unscrupulous Web publishers to enrich themselves at the expense of online advertisers, including many small companies.

Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., filed suit on Monday in federal court in Seattle against Eric C. Ralls and the company he founded, RedOrbit Inc., a Dallas science news and shopping site, plus 10 unnamed defendants. The software giant claims RedOrbit engaged in "click laundering," a term for making bogus clicks on third-party sites look like legitimate clicks on a publisher's site, thus inflating ad revenue.

Read the article in the Wall Street Journal

Scott Drake interviews Venkat Balastrubramani

Venkat Balasubramani is an internet/technology lawyer who practices at Focal PLLC, in Seattle.  He handles a wide variety of technology, internet and social media-related issues.  He blogs at Eric Goldman’s Technology & Marketing Law Blog.  He’s also an active Twitter user – you can follow him at @VBalasubramani