Great points Derek. it is complicated. It still boils down to ICANN needing to open more commercially-viable tlds and stop with the mobis and museums and aeros just to make it appear that they are approving new tlds. With more tlds, the Internet could almost read like a phone book and it would be easier to find what you are looking for. ICANN's collusion to keep dot com in the forefront is hurting commerce and it needs to stop. There have already been lawsuits regarding the AGP, NetSol's practice of using it to hold up registrations, etc. Now some of those problems have been addressed. Are lawsuits the only action that ICANN will pay attention to? I'm launching dot SEO soon. I plan to apply to ICANN for approval. I also plan to proceed regardless of their decision. There are workarounds for everything. And in the end there are always lawyers. I'm pretty much past the whole "Let's appeal to ICANN to do the right thing" approach. They change the rules as they go along to suit their friends. Everything from the makeup of the BoD to the approval of new tlds gets the rules changed whenever they feel like it. They have mismanaged the entire process from day 1. But ICANN, you will have a chance to do the right thing when I apply for approval. We'll see how that goes. The days of you being the only option for someone to run their own tld are pretty much over. If you don't know that already, someone is misinforming you. I still hold out sincere hope that ICANN will change it's ways, but then I'm idealistic. My realistic side says that I may yet have to file another lawsuit to get things done. I really hate going that route, but I can't let ICANN dictate what business I can or cannot start. My business plan is solid, but none of ICANN's business. The BoD does not have the expertise to decide what is or is not a viable business plan nor do they have a mandate to do so. My finances are not their business either. Even government contracts are awarded to companies that do not yet have all the finances. It is assumed that with contract in hand, financing can be found. ICANN insists that needs to be done before you apply creating a barrier to small business owners getting into the domain business. Not to mention the enormous application fee they are asking for. There are so many ways they are violating the laws that support free enterprise and free trade, that it is virtually a lawyers wet dream. They just haven't been challenged enough yet. So far, the only thing I've seen them respond to is legal action. They certainly have a history of ignoring anything resembling a bottom-up consensus. As I said. I hold out hope and we will see soon. Chris McElroy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Derek Smythe" <derek@aa419.org> To: "At-Large Worldwide" <at-large@atlarge-lists.icann.org> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 2:44 PM Subject: Re: [At-Large] ICANN Announcement on Domain Tasting
Chris McElroy 786-317-8774 wrote:
But at $100/year, we would have less spammers and scammers using domain names and speculators would own a much smaller list of domain names. ... A spammer can put a blemish on a domain name through bad use and get it banned from google and other search engines. Then when they let the domain expire or drop it, the new registrant has no idea the domain name has problems.
True and not true.
Case in point: cpeb-online.com just registered.
I was previously alerted to this domain a while ago by the legitimate owners of the bank being spoofed. Identity theft was used for the registration. It was put on hold by Tucows after an alert to them that it was being used to spoof a bank.
Now somebody seemingly else has registered it. However, digging a bit bit deeper shows it is once again the same party who manages to find his way through an incredible number of domains per annum. Historic records shows he may run between registrars trying to register the same domains numerous times, many drop and registrations not accepted until eventually the registration sticks somewhere.
In the process he reveals the numerous identities he uses.
The reason why this is so easy for him, is that he is using credit cards, other peoples' cards. This has been verified to be the case in the past. :(
For those interested in digging - PAULMARTINSCHAMBER.COM is a missing link.
This is one guy, yet we have many of them in the scam, spam, abuse arena.
However, these actors devalue if anything, the market value of a domain name. What would you pay for cpeb-online.com if it matched your domaining requirements?
As an attorney said a few months ago after finding out about a domain spoofing him and registered to his address (and as such legally belonging to him), though registered via a free email address: "I might prefer to simply allow the name to be canceled as I have no wish to be associated with what might have have been a vehicle used to facilitate frauds."
A consolidated registrar/registry/whoever approach is needed to weed out these bad actors and that may well include a domain price hike or using extra funds some believe to be available resulting from the less AGP drops.
Or maybe not either? The need to protect the very resource they a earning a living with is also in their best interest. It will also save them on and their resellers on charge backs.
So yes Chris, agreed, abusers do devalue a domain name's worth. However financial barriers is not the answer as this will simply mean more of other people's money will be stolen as well while punishing legitimate domain users using their own money to pay for domains.
Derek
... A spammer can put a blemish on a domain name through bad use and get it banned from google and other search engines. Then when they let the domain expire or drop it, the new registrant has no idea the domain name has problems.
Your point is well-taken and understood. Just want to add that there are more concerns than just the freedom to get a domain name to consider.
Chris McElroy
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