Do Domainers Need an Ethics Organization?

[Domainace]

Tell me if this is a stupid idea, but after reading this thread, it occured to me that domainers just might benefit from a sort of Better Business Bureau for the industry.

I haven't thought this out, but would like to hear ideas about it. My own thoughts:

To the general public, domainers are often seen as parasites and scum, assuming anyone has ever heard of us at all. This is mostly because people are unaware of the work involved, but very aware of every news story of a domain being squatted on in obvious violation of copyrights or name rights. Then, of course, there are the tragedy milkers. And, then there are all those on Ebay, selling xyz-widgets.biz for $200,000 BIN prices.

However you look at it, trust is an issue.

Now, imagine a Good Domain Practices certificate, where members in good standing can have their names listed (no, I haven't regged the dot com). Even if people have never heard of it, these things can still provide a little extra reassurance. If the certificate has an ethics requirement that is enforced, with violators being denied membership, it might take on more meaning.

A lot of industries have exactly this sort of set-up. In trading agricultural commodities, it's called PACA. And the threat of losing your PACA license is worse than the threat of a lawsuit.

Again, membership might help insure the domainer will not cheat the buyer - especially as domaining becomes better known, and even more scammers jump into the market.

Any thoughts, or am I blowing smoke out of my retrojet?

 

[biggie]

Hi

didn't read the link, but just wanna ask this question


who would you feel confident as ceo or president of such an organization like a "BBB" for domainers and who is trustworthy enough to be members of the BOD "board of directors"?

just curious

 

[plaggypig]

How about nominating candidates and holding elections to form a board? An advocacy group could be really worthwhile for the domaining community.

 

[-Adam-]

This sounds similar to what DNOA.org was created for.

 

[Domainace]

Adam- DNOA seems DOA.

It is the same idea, but biggie's comment expressed one thing the idea needs.

Biggie- Who would I trust? I thought about this very briefly before posting, but decided that too much thought would cause me not to post at all. It's a good question. In fact, a key to success. Maybe, more than the chairman, it will be the actual boardmembers who oversee the chairman that matter most. The rules for membership or denial of membership can be relatively straightforward. In case of appeals or less clear violations, each case would have to be decided by a group of moderators who are themselves overseen by the board. In fact, a requirement of membership might be the occasional "jury duty."

If the organization is open and transparent, I wouldn't worry too much about it going astray.

 

[Kate]

This sounds similar to what DNOA.org was created for.

ICA also promotes a code of conduct.

who would you feel confident as ceo or president of such an organization like a "BBB" for domainers and who is trustworthy enough to be members of the BOD "board of directors"?

Me :gl:

 

[Domainace]

If the ICA (or anybody similar) offered a clickable logo that could be used on a domainer's website or emails (and fairly denied to those who don't comply), it might help reassure buyers. Granted most will never have heard of the ICA, but at least there's the suggestion that somebody is thinking about ethics. The page the logo links to could explain what the organization is and what its standards are.

 

[notlikeyou]

Lofty ideas but the implementation of such would be prohibitive. Plus most of the people who would join such an organization are not the individuals that mar the industry. It's like preaching to the choir.

Don't get me wrong something is needed but I believe it's being addressed from the wrong side of the problem. Should be more from the registrar/icann side IMHO, but attempting to police god knows how many new registrations a day is more than likely why something has not been done thus far.

 

[Ms Domainer]

ICA also promotes a code of conduct.


Me :gl:

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ICA caters to rich domainers, not the rank and file. I don't want an exclusive organization to determine what that code of ethics should entail.

The organization promoting ethics in domaining should be accessible to every domainer who cares about the state of domaining, not just those who can afford to fork over $XXX yearly dues.

*

 

[HuntingMoon]

there is no organization needed. domainers either have ethics or do not.

 

[Domainace]

My thought wasn't that this would police all domainers. It would have to be transparent and inexpensive. And it would be open to those who want to join.

The point is not that it would make individual domainers more honest. The point would be to provide some reassurance to buyers that they are dealing with an honest professional. To that end, there would have to be rules enforced by denying membership in some cases. Domainers who don't want to conform to that set of ethics are free not to join.

This is not a be all and end all. Trust will still be an issue. But I think it could help.

 

[Ms Domainer]

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Almost every field has a code of ethics developed by an organization or guild, which also sets penalties, such as expulsion or suspension.

One notable exception: The Press (US). This has to do with the 1st Amendment.

Setting up an all-inclusive organization is key, and ICA (as it stands now) is NOT all-inclusive.

Shunning can be be a powerful deterent; non-members would have a difficult time selling, buying, and trading in the field. But the organization has to be accessible to everyone, not just the elite. However, while such an organization should embrace all domaining professionals who would want to join, retaining membership would be another matter. It should be viewed as a privilege (based on ethical behavior), not a right.

And it most definitely should not be based on how much money one has.

Cultivating and mentoring new members is just as important as a fat bankroll.

Now would a code of ethics stop everyone from being a crook? Of course not, but it might deter people who might be sitting on the fence.

Every field has its crooks.

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there is no organization needed. domainers either have ethics or do not.

 

[enlytend]

I think it's a good idea from the standpoint of public perception.

Is it going to make the "bad" domainers turn over a new leaf? No, but domaining, as Domainance pointed out, suffers from a very poor public image. Anything which could improve that perception and help educate those outside of the industry that we aren't ALL cybersquatting slime would be a good thing.

I could picture such an organization periodically issuing press releases to help familiarize people with it's mission and to counter some of the bad press already out there.

 

[HeyNow]

Start With The Auctioneers

Any ethics watchdogs should certainly start with the domain auctions. TDNAM auctions were used by auctioneer employee(s) to drive up prices and/or procure prime name(s) for themselves, screwing the average domainer. Spyware.us was procured that way, by a Godaddy VP bidding against customers like you and I. Sedo auctions and other auctions of that ilk have been plagued with issues, including lack of transparency. The auctions at the almost-weekly domainer conventions seem to be the sleaziest.

 

[notlikeyou]

The point would be to provide some reassurance to buyers that they are dealing with an honest professional.

You would first have to educate the masses as to what domainers are/do & then you would have to further educate them as to the difference between "scum" & "honest professionals" By my estimate that would take roughly forever.

You could ask 1000 people off the street & I would venture a guess that 900 would not know what a domainer is, 50 would describe them with the same merits of pond scum, 40 would have a general idea and the last 10 would be domainers but they would be too busy searching drop lists to give you a lengthy answer.

It's a grand idea in theory, with positive merits but it's very much a test tube pipe dream.

 

[Ms Domainer]

Would adult domains be considered "unethical"?

Zoofilia? Gay domains? Warez? Suggestive domains? Abortion?

Who decides? Too complicated.

BTW.....most of the business world does not respect the BBB b/c any jerk can make a negative report just to hurt your biz. Many business refuse to be a member.
.

*

These are interesting questions, indeed.

As much as I hate hard porn and all that it promotes in terms of objectifying and demeaning women, an ethics organization's purpose should not entail squelching free speech. However, child porn and human trafficking sites are another (and legal) matter and much too complicated to discuss here. In addition, cybersquatting, spamming, and scamming should be addressed and prohibited. HOW the domain is used should be more important than what the actual term is.

Having said this, I would hope that owners of legal "adult" sites would do everything in their power to ensure that children don't have easy access to such sites by tagging their sites as not being suitable for kids and severely limiting access by requiring a login to the adult sites.

I agree about the auction sites; quite frankly, some of their behaviors and policies stink: for example, openly selling TM domains to customers who may end up losing thousands of dollars while the seller waltzes away with the money. These sites pretty much operate in ways that are shocking and would not be tolerated in the non-cyber world. The people who operate these sites have no incentive to clean up their acts, so developing a code of ethics would be low on their to-do list.

Therefore, an ethics organization would have to be developed from the ground up, for organizations like the ICA have been established to protect the elite and the moneyed, not the domaining community as a whole.

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[Kate]

Just a thought, there is nothing that prevents you from drafting your own code of conduct and posting it your website, sure it's endorsed by nobody but it's better than nothing

 

[Len]

If a real organization dedicated to cleaning up the domaining industry and protecting the honest domainer was created, and members of such an organization were recognised as being professionals, then I see no reason why the organization itself should not run a "Sedo" type auction/sales site.

This would ensure that all sellers were trustworthy members. Anyone not following through with sales etc would have their membership withdrawn, taking away the ability to sell any domains via the site.

As more and more domainers begin to use the organization to sell their domains, it would become imperitive that they behave in a professional manner in order to keep their membership and access to the auction site.

Proceeds from any sales commission could be used towards the cost of running the organization and the auction site.

 

[gazzip]

Nice in theory but after just having a very brief conversation with a so-called "domainer" it is obvious some people just have zero ethics...nada...none...probably never will have.

There's not much you can do with someone like that, you need to have a heart to have any ethics



.

 

[Domainace]

If a real organization dedicated to cleaning up the domaining industry and protecting the honest domainer was created, and members of such an organization were recognised as being professionals, then I see no reason why the organization itself should not run a "Sedo" type auction/sales site.

This would ensure that all sellers were trustworthy members. Anyone not following through with sales etc would have their membership withdrawn, taking away the ability to sell any domains via the site.

As more and more domainers begin to use the organization to sell their domains, it would become imperitive that they behave in a professional manner in order to keep their membership and access to the auction site.

Proceeds from any sales commission could be used towards the cost of running the organization and the auction site.

That's a good idea. I initially tried to think of an existing auction site that might be able to do it, but then I thought of the perversity of having Godaddy, Ebay or Sedo setting ethical standards. Maybe if Bido or someone similar gains stature.

Just a thought, there is nothing that prevents you from drafting your own code of conduct and posting it your website, sure it's endorsed by nobody but it's better than nothing

Hadn't thought of that - but seems a good idea.