domains Is it time for Domain Aftermarkets to clean house?

[equity78]

Since the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic ramped up certain players in the industry have cracked down on covid and corona related domain names. March 26 – DAN (an advertising partner here) tweeted that they would be removing all coronavirus related domain names. Namecheap announced and reported upon by The Verge: That it would no […]

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[Brian L.]

It’s a very slippery slope. Should marketplaces and registrars really be policing the internet? Censorship leads to tyranny.

 

[pb]

Registrars should be neutral, anyone should be allowed to register anything and unless there's a court order, there should not be any bans or deletions.

Marketplaces are a bit more tricky, as they are directly or indirectly involved in monetizing on certain controversial topics. But so is google with its adwords/adsense on controversial domains/websites. Should every and all service providers suddenly become censors? I do not believe so. Again, unless there is a court order, banning a domain from the marketplace is overzealous and possibly illegal.

 

[equity78]

It’s a very slippery slope. Should marketplaces and registrars really be policing the internet? Censorship leads to tyranny.

That's true but I think there is a distinction between registrars and marketplaces.

If I am a marketplace I don't want the Washington Post or Fox News doing a story on how I am allowing domains that promote rape or pedophilia on my website.

As a domain investor I don't want my auctions on the same site as that. I don't know that's censorship.

For example: I can call your spouse a scumbag in my house, pretty sure you would not allow it in your house.

 

[Randy Barnes]

I do not think so guys

 

[Brian L.]

That's true but I think there is a distinction between registrars and marketplaces.

If I am a marketplace I don't want the Washington Post or Fox News doing a story on how I am allowing domains that promote rape or pedophilia on my website.

As a domain investor I don't want my auctions on the same site as that. I don't know that's censorship.

For example: I can call your spouse a scumbag in my house, pretty sure you would not allow it in your house.

Of course marketplaces have the right to refuse domains they don’t like, it’s just where is the line drawn. At the very least, they shouldn’t automatically ban certain keywords. Apparently “virus” is now a banded phrase on many marketplaces. I can think of a lot of legitimate reasons that “virus” could be in a domain. As far as rape etc. related domains I imagine that they would be illegal if they promoted illicit activities.

 

[pb]

As far as rape etc. related domains I imagine that they would be illegal if they promoted illicit activities.

What about grapes or therapeutic? Banning a keyword usually gives many false positives. I've experienced it once on sedo.

 

[noneisnone]

i agree with them in a sense but on the other hand where does it stop ? who decides what is ok and what isn't ? as far as marketplaces it is there right to decline a listing but a register shouldn't be allowed to make moral judgment over others you are a business not the moral police

 

[equity78]

What about grapes or therapeutic? Banning a keyword usually gives many false positives. I've experienced it once on sedo.

Oh I agree they would actually have to put some work into it and make sure they are not banning grapes or therapist etc...

 

[equity78]

i agree with them in a sense but on the other hand where does it stop ? who decides what is ok and what isn't ? as far as marketplaces it is there right to decline a listing but a register shouldn't be allowed to make moral judgment over others you are a business not the moral police

Agreed that's why I focused on aftermarkets not registrars they don't want to get into that because they have protections that words are allowed to be registered.

Marketplaces face scrutiny, if GoDaddy has an auction that anyone can see (and write about or report on) like RapeKids.com they are open to getting destroyed in the press and on social media. They would receiving a commission or the full proceeds on an expired name.

 

[noneisnone]

Agreed that's why I focused on aftermarkets not registrars they don't want to get into that because they have protections that words are allowed to be registered.

Marketplaces face scrutiny, if GoDaddy has an auction that anyone can see (and write about or report on) like RapeKids.com they are open to getting destroyed in the press and on social media. They would receiving a commission or the full proceeds on an expired name.

I Think in today cancel culture every business is suffering but a register shouldn't be responsible for the domain that are registered but an auction or a marketplace they should have the say so on what is ok and what isn't i believe certain things should be included in there terms that a user have to agree on before listing
this way it will stop any controversy just like what happened here on name pros today if it wasn't in the rules it would have been a bigger discussion than it was at the end of the day it is a matter of opinion but it is a dangerous road to go down policing what is ok and what isn't

 

[biggie]

Hi

aftermarkets can do whatever they want and drawn the line straight, curvy or crooked.
if they choose not to permit certain domain names, then and if those domains have value or appeal...

then, those platforms will lose out on the commission.

an interested buyer can still contact owner via email and escrow can handle transaction.

it's like banks and credit card companies say they can't process weed money
well... if they aren't doing it, then somebody is.

speaking of weed....

still, the argument about corona/covid names now is mute
every business on tv is promoting it or telling how they preparing or helping or donating.

news stations got their own covidspecials covidheroes etc, etc sites

so, those names are being used commercially, it's just they legitimized them by association with their biz or service.

in reality, not many of corona names will pass the test of time,
as the population gets more educated or they all die from stupidity from not wearing masks,
the rest will know where to get factual information.


imo….

 

[Mytz.com]

I do not think

 

[equity78]

Hi

aftermarkets can do whatever they want and drawn the line straight, curvy or crooked.
if they choose not to permit certain domain names, then and if those domains have value or appeal...

then, those platforms will lose out on the commission.

an interested buyer can still contact owner via email and escrow can handle transaction.

it's like banks and credit card companies say they can't process weed money
well... if they aren't doing it, then somebody is.

speaking of weed....

still, the argument about corona/covid names now is mute
every business on tv is promoting it or telling how they preparing or helping or donating.

news stations got their own covidspecials covidheroes etc, etc sites

so, those names are being used commercially, it's just they legitimized them by association with their biz or service.

in reality, not many of corona names will pass the test of time,
as the population gets more educated or they all die from stupidity from not wearing masks,
the rest will know where to get factual information.


imo….

Good points Don, but there might be a need for a cleanup so it does not look like only one group of names got picked for banning on platforms. Corona really should fade there are many coronaviruses, Covid-19 is what this pandemic is all about.

 

[TheBaldOne]

Before any further action occurs domainers and the aftermarket sites as well as the registrars should ask themselves about who is to decide all this?

Here in the UK it is now unlawful to say or do something that others MIGHT find offensive. This is the ridiculousness of writing laws or rules, no law or rule will ever cover every situation with reasonableness or indeed logic. The law is badly conceived, badly written, and badly implemented. Yet here we are discussing that some domain names should be banned whilst others are not, but with no clear description of who decides such nor could any of those be described as acting totally impartially either now or most definitely in the future.

In Germany I think it is still illegal to have on show a swastika, the reason the law was empowered was because of its association with the German Nazi regime. Most would think this was reasonable. However the law has had a marked impact on non-German history as well. Before even the rise of the Nazi Party the swastika was an emblem, especially militarily of Finland. However the law enforced in Germany post WWII did not (and as far as I am aware still does not) take this into account. This has meant that wargamers are not allowed to display models of Finnish troops utilising the swastika during the Winter War of 1939-40 between the USSR and Finland or the following Continuation War between those two nations. (This is a minor inconvenience but I use it to purely demonstrate in a non-political manner how badly construed laws {rules} have unforeseen consequences.)

Now the real compromise solution, just IMO, is that aftermarket sites should allow domain names to be listed but with the following restrictions:

- Those that are deemed offensive should be viewable only in a separate category (say like 'adult'),

and

- There should be no landing pages made available or advertising revenue available by the aftermarket sites.

But, there should also be an open appeal system whereby those who have their domains affected should be able to, in a timely manner, be able to appeal their domains exclusion from the main site. In many cases the logic of inclusion or exclusion could be quickly sorted out and either continue to be implemented or reversed. Where agreement is still not available then the domain should be open to a panel to decide such who will make their findings known publicly.

 

[biggie]

Good points, but there might be a need for a cleanup so it does not look like only one group of names got picked for banning on platforms

Hey Ray

aftermarkets, are just like appraisal tools

both want to be dominant forces in domainers lives.

some depend on domainers' inventory, more than others.
when their overhead is low, then they can charge less for fee's
when it's high, then fee is similar
or they can go boutique, like sh or bb and charge whatever.

but, the more domains you can manage to sell, without using those platforms
then the less dependent you are on them
no more dealing with their restrictions, high fee's and other nuisances that bug the hell out of you.

as the end-users of these services,
we have to pay the price and be willing to accept their TOS or walk away.

unless, you start you own
but then , if you let other mo-folk's list their names, you might end up in same predicament.

cuz, somebody will list domains you may not want on your platform.



imo...