The Most Infamous Girl in the History of the Internet
August 25, 2008 | Web Trends
We’ve all seen her. You’re innocently typing a website URL into the address bar, make a typo, and there she is.
She’s the “parked domain girl”, and she’s been viewed more than the Paris Hilton sex tape or Miss Teen South Carolina’s inspirational eloquence on domestic map shortages and the South African education system.
(See an example at why5.com)
Demand Media is the company responsible for pimping out this girl on empty websites set up to generate money from accidental visits. The Demand Media business model is this — scoop up generic or keyword-rich domain names and sell advertising space despite the lack of any iota of useful content.
It’s not exactly spamming, but it’s just one notch above mass emailing Viagra ads.
This poor girl was harmlessly walking to Psych 301 class and smiled for a snapshot. Now she’s being exploited more than Miley Cyrus or teenage Chinese gymnasts by people who take domain name monetization too far.
How the guys behind this sleep at night is beyond me, but apparently they do so in a bed of $100 bills.
Who is she?
Does anyone know who she is? Does she get paid per page impression? The Baha Men swiped 10% royalty every time “Who Let The Dogs Out” played. I can only hope this girl has a similar arrangement.
In an attempt to solve the riddle behind this infamous portrait, I looked closely at the background and now believe she is standing on the University of Texas campus next to the famous 307-foot tower.
Here’s my photographic evidence:
What do you think?
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I think you’re wrong. The tower in the original photo has 2 rows of 4 windows. The tower in your evidence has rows of 3 windows.
I can confirm that this photo was definitely taken on the University of Texas campus. The row of bushes behind her surround a flag pole also seen in the photo and both are located on an open mall area in front of the main administration building. A few years back a UT graduate was part of a group that was sued and lost $10 million under the CAN-SPAM act so there’s definitely a history of people from around here being involved in these kinds of activities.
She is from a stock photo site. The company dropped a few bucks and purchased the photo. I used her in a site i designed a year ago.
Check the commonly used stock sites- istock, getty, veer…etc. She should be tagged with the photographers name.
i think keywords used when i found her were- happy, teen, pretty, smiling, school.
good luck
Just imagine if they used that space at least in part for some sort of branding. They would practically have a household name, at least with regards to Internet users.
Think she might possess unadulterated lust for old fat guys?
This is Richard Rosenblatt’s trophy girlfriend. He pays her to attend events in hopes of staying in the closet a little longer.
She looks like she’s judging me for not being able to type in the proper URL.
Dude, you are funny. Your comment on Copyblogger made me spit coffee so I wandered down your way. Glad I did. You’ve got yourself a new subscriber.
Hmmm I think she’s done porn… Lemme check my archives.
@Emily
Your comment had me laughing out loud. She does look like that! XD
Its not the same place…. reasons:
in picture tower has 4 windows not 3 (clincher for me)
roof of front building in viewable from close range and at eye level and front building is not as tall as your photos unless a level was added since.
and hedge looks taller than your campus photos
Maybe it’s the reincarnation of Jesus? Hahaha.
She is from istockphoto.com she was offered up as a free image of the week a couple years ago.
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/lifestyle/teens/746781-attractive-student.php?id=746781
Copyright: Dustin Steller
Uploaded On: 2005-08-06
Mystery Solved!!!
Here is a whole picture collection of her:
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&filetypeID=&userID=39198&text=hf7
why did i stumble this.. why did i comment…
Wow. All I have to say is… Wow. For being such a ridiculously pointless post, I couldn’t help but read all of it… and the comments.
Great post… seriously.
Actually the most infamous girl in the history of the Internet is Everywhere Girl: http://www.theeverywheregirl.com/ I have even seen her on my school campus’ paraphernalia.
Oh yes, seen her many times on those typo URLs. Maybe this pic was purchased from any stock photography site like istock ?? Just a guess because otherwise she must have someday seen herself and asked for royalty.
I can’t speak about that blonde girl we’ve all seen. But Emma Infiniti will be an infamous web girl one day. Check her out at http://www.emmainfiniti.com
i think you ahve way to much time on your hands. and she would get it!
I love posts like this. This is unique quaility content. Just what the search engines are looking for.
Good Job manidge.
wish they used this one instead…would be making more typos :-)
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/lifestyle/teens/703664-happy-young-woman-2.php?id=703664
Mistery solved second part!! thx Matt :)
http://meneame.net/story/la-musa-del-parked-domain#comment-2
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?userID=39198?action=view&location=Profile&userID=39198&postID=15581
OMG!! Sister Hanna??? xD
Cute sister :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiveloaves/page7/
Lovely — definitely lovely! But, I’ve never seen her before …
Hello people.
I am the photographer who took the photo you all are talking about. I shot the series in the Kansas City area, so it is definitely not a real college campus. Here is the link to see some more from the series…
http://www.istockphoto.com/dsteller/
As a side note, yes, it is my little sister. I would like to add that she is very happily married. ;-)
Ready for a HUGE irony? If you mistype my own domain name (using stellar instead of steller), it takes you to a parked domain page with her picture. :-)
-dustin
Interestingly enough, did the writer of this blog purchase the use of the photo? If not, please do so. It’s only $3. Otherwise, iStockphoto might come after your butt for infringement. :-)
Wow, I can’t believe nobody responded to your awesomeness.
lol! Travis, I guess I have that effect on people. :-)
Thank you.
Personally I don’t think IPhoto can actually request payment from the author of this blog because the photo is reproduced for journalistic reasons and as such a fee wouldn’t need to be paid. At least the answers have been found.
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