poll Opinion: Is it immoral to sell Coronavirus related domains & websites?

[frostify]

Just looking for open candid feedback as to whether you think it's okay or not to sell Coronavirus related domain names, websites, apps, and other related digital assets.

My personal take on it is that I myself will not be buying/selling anything with the word "coronavirus" or "covid" in it or work on anything related to Coronavirus but at the same time I'm not going to put down or shame anyone else in the domain community who does decide to attempt to profit from it.

I think it is better morally not to do so, but I don't think registering a domain name is nearly as bad as say hoarding essential supplies (physical products) that people need to survive. People can live if you register a bunch of domains, people cannot live if you hoard physical products like water, food, medicine, etc.

Waiting to hear from you guys about this issue.

 

[keyboard77]

I have Stupid19.com for sale if that helps?

 

[bulkdomainz]

I wonder how many people had ideas for corona sites that would have raised awareness and saved lives, shared important information around the world, disproven some of the soup-brained conspiracies going around, allowed independent journalists and writers to document this whole disaster, enabled storytellers to celebrate the heroes on the front lines, and to hold the powerful bad actors in our world accountable.

I wonder how many people were going to selflessly put their dev time and resources into creating something that benefited all of us, but got discouraged when the name they wanted to buy costs $2,888 instead of $8.50, so that it can just sit there doing nothing until it's dropped next February. But hey, at least domainers can try to make a quick buck while contributing nothing beyond putting up obstacles, doing the exact opposite of empowering people.

Maybe the number is 0 and that didn't happen a single time. Who knows. Either way, it sure is interesting to see the hoops some people will jump through to justify the barriers they've created for others.

You don't have to pretend that what you're doing is good or virtuous, you can just admit that it's selfish. That's okay. You're allowed to behave this way, just be honest with yourself about it.

I think of domain names as dogs at the pound. Being developed is like seeing that dog get adopted into a loving family. It's the best thing that can happen to a domain name and a pound dog. Most of these corona names will get taken into the shed and given the Old Yeller treatment in about a year when their window of being useful is closed.

Now, if you want to make the argument that you're not stopping somebody from developing something useful by making quality names inaccessible to them, I don't think anyone here wants to make the argument that quality names don't matter lol.

Do you think these 'developers' would give the developed names away for free at the end of Corona?

Maybe they could offer to rent the names for the price they are offering to pay, or go into some kind of partnership with the registrants! They don't even have to own the names to develop them, if they are only really developing them for the benefit of the general public (and not for any kind of profit for themselves).

There are enough coronavirus info websites out there already, anyway.

 

[Peak.Domains]

There are enough coronavirus info websites out there already, anyway.

So I guess the domains are worthless then?

 

[bulkdomainz]

So I guess the domains are worthless then?

If the domains are worthless, why does anyone care to ban their sale?

Strange that nobody ever made it their job to ban the registration/sale of 'worthless' domains in any industry/topic before covid-19!

 

[4better]

I perceive selling domains and websites just like selling stores. Selling a store is fine but the one who purchases it and how he intends to use it (whether good or bad) determines immorality.

imho

 

[vast]

You don't have to pretend that what you're doing is good or virtuous, you can just admit that it's selfish. That's okay. You're allowed to behave this way, just be honest with yourself about it.

Well said.

I think that the domaining is neutral in itself. Or, maybe better say, you have to stay cautious to remain neutral, i.e. not to produce the negative impact. Blocking valuable resources has been existing for ages, nothing new here - that can be justified by creating liquidity; yet that's rather "how that stuff works" thing, not adding some positive value one could flaunt. Domain flippers are just rationally integrating into the food chain with the single goal - to make profit, which is absolutely fine, at least that's how the economics works. Yet in tough times resource blocking, in the vital areas, can produce unneeded complications for ones producing the real value to help others. I think that might be the reason for the negative perception around this and similar topics.