As a Domainer, Will You Put a NameBlock Block on Your Names?

[bhartzer]

NameBlock is launching soon (expected in the next month or so). NameBlock will allow you to pay to place a block on a series of characters (such as your product name, brand, company name, etc.).

You'll be able to place that block so no one can register a domain that contains those characters, and a ton of common variations. For example, if PayPal would put a block on PayPal, then domains like PayPa1.com, PayPa1.net, etc. couldn't be registered. They'll show up as being not available to register.

You don't have to have a trademark to put a NameBlock on. But you'll pay annually for the block.

As a domainer, are you planning on putting block on your more valuable names?

 

[Future Sensors]

I want to thank Bill Hartzer. By starting this thread we can prevent this NameBlock service from expanding to other TLDs.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Isn't this almost exactly the same as TrueName, that Donuts offered years ago, as Andrew explained it in 2020:

When a customer registers a Donuts TLD such as .guru, .money or .live, Donuts will block registrations of lookalike domain names that substitute letters or numbers with characters from Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic script tables for the purpose of malicious activity.

The one difference is that Donuts (now Identity Digital) offered it automatically without an additional cost, and for the lifetime of your registration of that name.

I don't much care personally if NameBlock is used to block registrations of similar names at ShortDot registries, it could even be a good idea. If the only ICANN approval is the one noted above, just for ShortDot to use on its own registry names, it is not like NameBlock is approved by ICANN in some industry wide manner.

-Bob

 

[bhartzer]

Wouldn't you need all registrars/registries to be involved for this to actually work? For example, if some registrar our there isn't a part of it..I can just go there and register the name. If a registry isn't part of it, I can just go and register it in that extension. As others have said, this type of thing has abuse written all over it. On top of that, you won't get all registrars and registries to participate, so there will be someplace people can go to register the name whether NameBlock has a block on it or not... Maybe I'm missing something here?

I agree with what you're saying, but I don't think you need ALL registries to sign on, you just need the most popular ones to sign on and accept it. It can be successful without ALL registries signing on.

The pricing of many TLDs is prohibiting a lot of domain squatting and phishing, etc. that NameBlock is designed to protect. Domain squatters and people doing phishing aren't going to spend $1,000 or even $500 per year on a domain.

 

[Future Sensors]

you just need the most popular ones to sign on and accept it

Strongly disagree. This should never happen.

 

[alcy]

u gotta be seriously desperate to come up ideas like this

 

[bhartzer]

Strongly disagree. This should never happen.

Maybe it "should never happen", true.

But we can wish all we want that it shouldn't happen--but most likely Verisign and the most popular registries have already signed on an accepted NameBlock. So we have to accept that it's going forward and have to deal with it as domainers and domain owners.

It was already 'launched' about a year ago.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

but most likely Verisign and the most popular registries have already signed on an accepted NameBlock.

Why do you say that? I have yet to see in anything beyond this thread that it has been approved by anything other than the registries controlled by one of the main proponents of the system.

 

[korganian]

IMHO this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of being promoted as an accepted fact encompassing the entire domain infrastructure.

Are you trying to make us believe that Anyone can pay a fee and block any domain with the word "bill" in it and block every person named Bill from registering any domain with their name in it? Not to mention every company in the billing industry from registering any domain for their business with the words bill, bills, or billing?

 

[Bob Hawkes]

So if I own the block - I am paying for it, can I still register that keyword or am I blocked too?

I think this answers your question, Joe. So yes, an override is possible. But yet another fee for that.

Can I use any of the domains included in my block?​

Blocked domains cannot per se be used as they are different from a regular domain name registration. However, if you wish to transform one of the blocked domains in order to be able to use it, this is possible via a so-called “override” at an additional fee. Once an override is done, you’ll be able to use the domain name just as you would any other domain name registration.

 

[bhartzer]

IMHO this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of being promoted as an accept fact encompassing the entire domain infrastructure.

Are you trying to make us believe that Anyone can pay a fee and block any domain with the word "bill" in it and block every person named Bill from registering any domain with their name in it? Not to mention every company in the billing industry from registering any domain for their business with the words bill, bills, or billing?

Yes, that is the concept or the "use case" so to speak of NameBlock.

But most likely they have a list of words (or sets of characters) that cannot be blocked. I'm guessing it's probably something like a list of dictionary words, something like that.

So you're not very far off of what NameBlock is--but there most likely is a list of names (such as Bill) that could not be blocked. I don't think they will publish that list. Registries also have a list of "reserved names" so to speak, and those names aren't published.

 

[bhartzer]

I think this answers your question, Joe. So yes, an override is possible. But yet another fee for that.

Yes, that explains it.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

But most likely they have a list of words (or sets of characters) that cannot be blocked. I'm guessing it's probably something like a list of dictionary words, something like that.

I find this a little confusing, but from NameBlock website it says the following, which I take it to mean that dictionary words (and their variants?) can't be blocked. Same you can't block a trademarked term.

NameBlock's algorithm identifies names that shouldn't be blocked! If a typo version of a block is actually a dictionary word or registered trademark, we don't block it!

 

[Bob Hawkes]

There are various types of blocks that you can buy. This explains one of them. So let's say I don't want the word EXAMPLE to be allowed in certain extensions, I could choose them. However, this all depends on what registries get on board. You also could supposedly block with a wildcard, like I have some unique brand name XXXXX I could black XXXXX + * for any combination. But those fees keep adding up for each block I want. And of course the system is meaningless if the main registries don't sign up.

Multi-block options include wildcard, choose your own extension and more! These options are available at a fixed cost per extension and offer volume and term discounts.

 

[DomaineerInc]

So....DNAccess is the company that launched Nameblock or at least has it listed as one of it's products/services ie licensed. Correct? From their About page: "DNAccess was founded in March 2023 by Bill Hartzer, CEO of Hartzer Consulting, LLC, a digital marketing and domain name consulting agency". My understanding that OP said he *might* offer it as a reseller?
"Let's make it clear: it is NOT my model, not my business, not my service.
I am NOT associated with NameBlock (although I may resell it when it launches)."
Nameblock states that they have partnered with DNAccess. And DNAccess lists NameBlock under products offered. A site search of ICANN .org shows no mention of NameBlock, I guess I'm just curious about transparency, here. Thx.

 

[StartupsBrandsCom]

Look Bill, show some verifiable facts. We can take it from there. Hate it, love it. I don't care. So far there's zero evidence of ICANN approval hence it's going to impact close to zero domainers (unless you're really much invested in .global; big if).

Nothing here to see or worry about, carry on.

Yup. They, from the blocking service, can simply purchase on-demand domains registrations at very special registrar' granted discounts or maybe rise sponsorships or even get subsidiary from IT Dept., or otherwise funding from the corporate clubs and deal as resellers! With as many marketing virtualization in line with PR and Law.

 

[anantj]

Registrars don't block any names, the fee just blocks the names from being registered. The blocked names won't be registered, it's just that no one will be able to register the name. If they try to register a blocked name, it will show as unavailable.

Can you explain how it works globally? If the registrars aren't blocking the registration of "blocked" names, how will it work? Or is it enforced by ICANN somehow and all registrars HAVE to abide by such blocks?

What happens if someone blocks say a super popular and generic term such as GPT, Shop, app, or "go" etc.?

Also, what happens to existing registrations/domains?

 

[anantj]

That makes no sense $100 a year, You will pay 1 cent to each registrar a year?? The math doesnt make sense., My selling point as registrar would be I never signed up for crazy domainblock so u guys are free to get any domains.
There is trademark for almost any word. You are going to block trademark companies for registering names? This is just nuts. ICANN, verisign, trademark owners will be upset. Lawyers will have a field day with this. I think some lawyers put u up to this?

Considering there are plans for a reseller network, the full $100 is also not going to be available to distribute to registries.

 

[Gabriel360]

First off, I don't trust anything @bhartzer says.

That said, this is one of those ideas so ridiculous the only way to describe it is "harebrained."

Did the founders even bother to conduct a feasibility study?

For context, here's a list of people that will lose money as a result:

1. ICANN.
2. Registries like Verisign.
3. WIPO.
4. Registrars.

Ironically, these are the people who need to approve a service like this.

Then, there is the issue of appealing a blocked name. You'll have to pay to a bunch of nameless programmers to acquire something they don't even own.

People who have ZERO rights acting as gatekeepers.

Sounds like a poorly packaged scam to me.

Pricing also seems to be tiered which means the cheapest price will probably only cover TLDs so useless there's no point blocking them. And the useful tiers would probably be too expensive for the average business owner, especially if they already have the .com/most appropriate extension of their business name.

 

[bhartzer]

So....DNAccess is the company that launched Nameblock or at least has it listed as one of it's products/services ie licensed. Correct? From their About page: "DNAccess was founded in March 2023 by Bill Hartzer, CEO of Hartzer Consulting, LLC, a digital marketing and domain name consulting agency". My understanding that OP said he *might* offer it as a reseller?
"Let's make it clear: it is NOT my model, not my business, not my service.
I am NOT associated with NameBlock (although I may resell it when it launches)."
Nameblock states that they have partnered with DNAccess. And DNAccess lists NameBlock under products offered. A site search of ICANN .org shows no mention of NameBlock, I guess I'm just curious about transparency, here. Thx.

NameBlock is not my product/service, as others have pointed out in the thread, it's owned and operated by a completely different company.

NameBlock has "launched", back in 2022, but it's not offering any blocks yet (you can't buy the service yet).

My company will most likely be a reseller, and have already gone through the steps to resell it. That also includes creating pages on one of our sites about it. It's a 'novel' concept... create a web page on your website so that you can start ranking (organically) so it's ready when people start searching for the service. Just because web created pages doesn't mean that we have any sort of ownership interest in NameBlock. I or any of my companies aren't affiliated in any way.

 

[bhartzer]

Can you explain how it works globally? If the registrars aren't blocking the registration of "blocked" names, how will it work? Or is it enforced by ICANN somehow and all registrars HAVE to abide by such blocks?

What happens if someone blocks say a super popular and generic term such as GPT, Shop, app, or "go" etc.?

Also, what happens to existing registrations/domains?

Registrars don't do the blocking, the registries are doing the blocking. Domains aren't blocked, keywords or a set of characters that would appear in a domain name are blocked. So if 'walmart' is blocked, and you try to register 'walmartstinks.com' then it will say it's not available for registration... all registrars will show that.