Epic.org Domain Renewal Comes at a Bad Time

[Charley]

There's never a good time to lose control of your Internet domain name, but for advocacy group the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), there could have been better times. The group's Epic.org domain name expired the day before it filed a legal challenge to Google Inc.'s plan to buy DoubleClick Inc.

Supporters searching for more information about the complaint on EPIC's Web site on Friday were met with a holding page featuring 40 or so sponsored text links for related keyword advertisements managed by Google.

The complaint, filed Friday by EPIC, the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG), calls upon the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block the US$3.1 billion deal unless the organization obtains guarantees from Google and DoubleClick that they will protect Internet users' privacy.

Luckily, the Web sites of the other parties to the group's legal challenge were not affected, with the full text of the complaint on the CDD site.

EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg's initial reaction was one of disbelief: "We've been running a Web site for a dozen years, and the day we go after Google, our domain expires?"

Rotenberg's first explanation -- "We've been hacked!" -- was contradicted by the entry in the Whois database of domain name registrar Direct Domains, a subsidiary of Tucows Inc.

The Whois database records who owns each domain name, and includes details such as their name and address, and the dates of various transactions concerning the domain.

In the case of Epic.org, first registered on April 18, 1994, the registrant is still listed as "Electronic Privacy Information" at the organization's usual street address in Washington, D.C.

A call to Direct Domains' technical support line revealed that the domain expired Thursday night, with the address of the holding page propagating through the Internet's DNS (domain name system) to replace that of the EPIC site by the time the group filed its suit Friday morning.

EPIC staff moved to renew the domain on Friday morning, according to Direct Domains -- and should mark their calendars for April 19, 2009, when it will next expire.

Later, Rotenberg ruefully admitted: "It may have expired. It was a remarkable coincidence."

It will still take some time for this latest change to propagate through the world's DNS servers and for service to return to normal, Direct Domains' technical support operator advised. But meanwhile, with a little ingenuity, those seeking information from EPIC's Web site can still find it in the cache of Google's search engine.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131018-c,companynews/article.html

 

[BinderGang]

You know, I really hate it when people let their domains expire and then feel like they have been wronged when they finally realize it's expired and either pending delete or have already been deleted and picked up by someone else.

No one's screwing you over. You messed up yourself. If you let a magazine subscription expire, do you call the post office saying how your mail is being stolen because you haven't received the magazine you missed because you forgot to renew?

 

[hugegrowth]

Amazing, it's like spending all day packing for a trip, getting in your car and going, and running out of gas.

 

[abdussamad]

EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg's initial reaction was one of disbelief: "We've been running a Web site for a dozen years, and the day we go after Google, our domain expires?"

Rotenberg's first explanation -- "We've been hacked!" -- was contradicted by the entry in the Whois database of domain name registrar Direct Domains, a subsidiary of Tucows Inc.

Paranoia must be an occupational hazard for these people :D

 

[Spade]

Absolutely hilarious. A complete boneheaded error, my hats off to you folks.

 

[dan_Vt]

Are there any registrars that help ensure that doesn't happen for premium domains? While I agree with everything that's been said, it's Epic's own fault, it still sucks. I'd like to see a registrar that allows you to set a 'monitor' status and if the domain gets close to expiring they try calling you, and even renew it for you...even if no 'autorenew' is set. Obviously this service would come with quite an added charge. Those with premium domains should have their own system of tracking to make sure it doesn't happen, but it would be a bit of insurance.

Maybe this is a new business plan...anyone in?

 

[BinderGang]

Are there any registrars that help ensure that doesn't happen for premium domains? While I agree with everything that's been said, it's Epic's own fault, it still sucks. I'd like to see a registrar that allows you to set a 'monitor' status and if the domain gets close to expiring they try calling you, and even renew it for you...even if no 'autorenew' is set. Obviously this service would come with quite an added charge. Those with premium domains should have their own system of tracking to make sure it doesn't happen, but it would be a bit of insurance.

Maybe this is a new business plan...anyone in?

I hope no registrar does this.

If you have a premium name and let it expire, then you don't deserve it as you obviously don't value what it's worth. Let someone who will truly appreciate it (whether it is a seller knowing how valuable the name is or an end user who will treasure it with whatever they use it for) have a crack and registering it.

 

[dan_Vt]

I hope no registrar does this.

If you have a premium name and let it expire, then you don't deserve it as you obviously don't value what it's worth. Let someone who will truly appreciate it (whether it is a seller knowing how valuable the name is or an end user who will treasure it with whatever they use it for) have a crack and registering it.

I bet Epic "truly appreciated" their domain, the problem is organizations sometimes lose site of things...it's a bureaucracy.

 

[AdoptableDomains]

Are there any registrars that help ensure that doesn't happen for premium domains? While I agree with everything that's been said, it's Epic's own fault, it still sucks. I'd like to see a registrar that allows you to set a 'monitor' status and if the domain gets close to expiring they try calling you, and even renew it for you...even if no 'autorenew' is set. Obviously this service would come with quite an added charge. Those with premium domains should have their own system of tracking to make sure it doesn't happen, but it would be a bit of insurance.

Maybe this is a new business plan...anyone in?

There are many existing services that do this. I use domaintools.com to track most of my domains. There are a number of other companies that do this as well. Most don't renew for you or call you, but you do get an email from them when any whois status of the domain changes (expired, locked, names, dns, etc.)

The best thing is for companies with developed names to always set for autorenew. then you just have to make sure you keep an updated credit card on file.

 

[abdussamad]

Are there any registrars that help ensure that doesn't happen for premium domains? While I agree with everything that's been said, it's Epic's own fault, it still sucks. I'd like to see a registrar that allows you to set a 'monitor' status and if the domain gets close to expiring they try calling you, and even renew it for you...even if no 'autorenew' is set. Obviously this service would come with quite an added charge. Those with premium domains should have their own system of tracking to make sure it doesn't happen, but it would be a bit of insurance.

Maybe this is a new business plan...anyone in?

You shouldn't rely on registrars to remind you of an expiring domain. They aren't exactly the most neutral parties involved. Most registrars make a lot of money auctioning premium domains in the secondary market so they have very little interest in protecting your expired domain. Also the way the Internet works these days its pretty much the wild wild west in terms of regulation. Anything goes when money is at stake.

 

[dan_Vt]

You shouldn't rely on registrars to remind you of an expiring domain.

I don't.

 

[Domainate.com]

Are there any registrars that help ensure that doesn't happen for premium domains?

Yea...it's called buying additional years of registration. Seriously, if you are an active site with a name like that, renew for 10 fricken years. It costs a whopping $80 or less to do...they have NO excuse!

Embarassing is all I have to say about letting a name like epic.org lapse when you're an active site.

 

[fonzie_007]

Someone should enlighten EPIC on something called "auto renew."

 

[zachary0611]

for a 100 bucks a year ill be happly to call anyone to remind them to rereg their names

 

[Dave_Z]

Crikey, I missed this one. Oh well.

 

[4u-domains]

I had a watch on it and was aware of its status as I have one of the other TLDs.
Think it makes an excellent Photo storage site:

ePic

:tu:

 

[AdoptableDomains]

Crikey...

I don't think you are allowed to say that word any more since it's now been ruled by WIPO as a TM.

http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2007/d2007-0325.html

 

[RareIQ]

for a 100 bucks a year ill be happly to call anyone to remind them to rereg their names

Probably a good idea!!......... :hehe:

 

[mirrorcube]

A simple spreadsheet always helps keep track of renewal dates. Doesn't anyone at their organization have Excel?

 

[Dave_Z]

Doesn't anyone at their organization have Excel?

Maybe they forgot how to use it?