What would it cost to find out who owns a name?

[KingDon]

My buddy is running for mayor, and suddenly one of these slanderous sites came out of no where this summer, and you guessed it, privacy registration. So I'm interested to see who the person is that bought the domain name.

How much would it cost to find someone that can dig out the purchaser of a domain name at Godaddy. Anyone care to throw out a ballpark figure? PM me if you can get this done, post if you have a theory.

Thanks guys,

Don

 

[hn]

I dont think unless you have a court order, Godaddy or any registrar will reveal details of the person who registered the domain. One option might be to file a URDP if you really want that domain or you can even try for the new tlds that have been launched which might work out cheaper.

 

[AEProgram]

My buddy is running for mayor, and suddenly one of these slanderous sites came out of no where this summer, and you guessed it, privacy registration. So I'm interested to see who the person is that bought the domain name.

How much would it cost to find someone that can dig out the purchaser of a domain name at Godaddy. Anyone care to throw out a ballpark figure? PM me if you can get this done, post if you have a theory.

Thanks guys,

Don

Have you tried domaintools? they claim they have 5 significant changes on the domain (I am assuming you are referring to the site setup about the guy running M.S).

It is a nasty site indeed but someone gotta know who this is as it seems from the upload directory lots of the pics that he did not post on the site itself are almost private pics off a phone or something, I doubt that guy running shared these pics online but hey what do I know

 

[FPForum]

The only way to get the real details would be by subpoenaing DomainsByProxy, which you can't do without a court order. That being said, DomainTools would probably have the best information. Another idea would be to create a fake email address and send a few emails to the @domainsbyproxy email on the whois. Those will get forwarded to the owner and if you can get a reply out of him, you'd see the email address he has associated with the account. From there it would just be a matter of digging around

 

[KingDon]

Thanks guys, it's one of those things where I actually know this guy, he is my neighbor, we have block parties in our neighborhood, but yet, here they come shoveling s**t about him.

The history starts out hidden and stays that way. They knew what they were doing, his opposition knows they will soon be out of power and they'll stop at nothing. It is CRAZY!!!

Thanks again, this one will probably go to the lawyers.

 

[AEProgram]

Thanks guys, it's one of those things where I actually know this guy, he is my neighbor, we have block parties in our neighborhood, but yet, here they come shoveling s**t about him.

The history starts out hidden and stays that way. They knew what they were doing, his opposition knows they will soon be out of power and they'll stop at nothing. It is CRAZY!!!

Thanks again, this one will probably go to the lawyers.

welcome to the political world, in ny state i was reading they put out lie commercials that some guy running for offer wants to allow all kinds of silly things

 

[chickenfillet]

Is this regarded as defamation? If it is, isn't that illegal?

 

[pranker]

its only defamation and libelous if its not true.

 

[DU]

Report it to godaddy under:

"You represent and warrant to the best of your knowledge that, neither the registration of the domain nor the manner it is directly or indirectly used, infringes the legal rights of any third party."

They may do something.

 

[N-A]

Unless you have proof it's untrue with facts, getting into this legally I would advise against.

Why? He is a public figure running for mayor attempting to take away someone's 1st Amendment rights.

While he has rights to it, I would choose another name during campaigning and brush it off.

Voters are dumb and him going after his name to "take 1A" gives his opponent ammo.

(Ways of obtaining info were already provided. This is advice to wait until he takes office.)

 

[DU]

Why? He is a public figure running for mayor attempting to take away someone's 1st Amendment rights.

I thought the same thing. I know you have a great mind but no idea why we think alike.

 

[N-A]

I thought the same thing. I know you have a great mind but no idea why we think alike.

Because you're DU and I'm DW. Only one letter separates how we think.

But back on topic about a subpoena, that's not necessary with GoDaddy or Moniker. Send an email representing yourself and I believe GD has the same policy as Moniker: if owner doesn't respond in 5 days or they have a poor excuse, privacy may be lifted.

Though, could cost the mayor a chair if known.

 

[carob]

Because you're DU and I'm DW. Only one letter separates how we think.

No it's the same letters, just one of you is single and one of you is double - David got the double u!

Domains by Proxy is pretty flimsy - they are famous for removing privacy just because someone complained, in one case just a poetry site. Read their TOS and contact them, if necessary with a letter from a lawyer - apparently that too is by itself enough to remove privacy. Godaddy themselves in their TOS give themselves a right to cancel a domain registration if someone says it offends them - check their TOS.

Godaddy gives domain registrants some of the weakest protection around - but the registrant could transfer the domain to another domain registrar.

If the domain name is using the affected candidate's real name then as said earlier in the thread you can file a UDRP for $1500 which will lock the domain and reveal registrant details, regardless of whether you win the UDRP.

But bear in mind losing the domain or privacy does not stop the site - if the site violates the hosting companies TOS, or copyright or other laws, you can complain to the hosts, who may shut the site down.

 

[N-A]

Godaddy gives domain registrants some of the weakest protection around - but the registrant could transfer the domain to another domain registrar.

You're right, I think twice before posting.

If the domain name is using the affected candidate's real name then as said earlier in the thread you can file a UDRP for $1500 which will lock the domain and reveal registrant details, regardless of whether you win the UDRP.

This is true and a good way to obtain the information. So far out of the loop that I don't know if campaign funds can be used for this, but it's not worth it in my opinion. If someone had DavidWalker.com and I wanted it for my campaign into an office; albeit slanderous and not true, I would let it slide. Why? Because the media will question me and I'm a master-debater.

Too soon in a politician's career to pull a move like this. It could potentially be the end of it. After I obtained office; in my free time, I would pursue it slowly and silently to acquire the domain. I may even give into "terrorists" (cyber squatters) and pay what they want to get it (if it's reasonable as compared to wasting time in meetings with a lawyer and court rooms when I could be doing my job).

But bear in mind losing the domain or privacy does not stop the site - if the site violates the hosting companies TOS, or copyright or other laws, you can complain to the hosts, who may shut the site down.

Definitely something to consider. The domain could be at GoDaddy, but hosted at [insert the worst "dedicated server" company here] in Panama. There is nothing that can be done.

I would wait until he got office and use geo+mayor+2015.com for the campaign in the meanwhile and then work on obtaining the domain after elections are over, cause he may not even win (we all have to face reality). Then, he can use it for progressing in his political career (governor, etc.) or to just "brand" him permanently in office.

If he so happens to be questioned by the "media" about allegations made on F+L.com; I would expect nothing less from a mayor than the President, to answer and debunk them getting to the facts.

Lot of good information posted here to not only get who owns it, but to get the domain back and other routes to unlock privacy, though expensive.

Cheers and good luck to your buddy,
David

 

[KingDon]

WAAAAAAAAA HOOOOOOOOOO WE WON!!!

Well regardless of what they did, we won the election, my buddy was elected mayor. Now, we want to go after them. We have a lawyer who is ready to move, they're just waiting for me to point and say go.

So if you were going to start this, and you had a lawyer ready to assist you pro bono, how would you go after them?

It is now that the pendulum begins to swing the other way, and we want to drag them into the light. Are there any good postings on procedures for moving forward with something like this? Any advice about what to send and to whom it should be addressed.

Thanks for any help you guys can give us.

 

[AEProgram]

WAAAAAAAAA HOOOOOOOOOO WE WON!!!

Well regardless of what they did, we won the election, my buddy was elected mayor. Now, we want to go after them. We have a lawyer who is ready to move, they're just waiting for me to point and say go.

So if you were going to start this, and you had a lawyer ready to assist you pro bono, how would you go after them?

It is now that the pendulum begins to swing the other way, and we want to drag them into the light. Are there any good postings on procedures for moving forward with something like this? Any advice about what to send and to whom it should be addressed.

Thanks for any help you guys can give us.

Congrats! But what if the guy fights back and now there are 500 articles about this site and links to it etc?

You can wait and see if he renews.

Do a quiet request ask him nicely to get rid of site now that the election is over.

 

[DU]

As a public figure you request respectfully out of the public view that they remove content and don't threaten blah blah blah... you appeal to them on the basis that it reflects badly on the community as a whole which takes focus away from any good that can be done. Negative ads during campaigns are part of politics, but make it clear you respect their first amendment rights but are just asking for a fair shot.

Then you drop the issue because no one will care in reality.

"Going after" them does nothing but validate them and invigorate the negativity that just lost imho.

if it comes up at an event just rally behind your desire to allow 1st amendment rights etc. That you politely requested..but decided that the best mive was to focus attention on what matters. It is not about me being the mayor but what we can achieve through the office of the mayor moving forward and leaving negativity behind ...etc rah rah rah America the great rah rah rah



from a legal standpoint you could highlight any image right violations etc as that is about protecting the rights of photographers etc... or totally factually incorrect you can request be fixed.

Key is that politics OR personal ill will is not involved.

 

[DU]

On 2nd thoughts.

Just ignore it completely.

 

[iowadawg]

You got a lawyer who does not know what to do unless you tell him?
You aint got a lawyer, you got a shylock.
Get a lawyer who knows the internet, domains, etc.

 

[baseballworld]

Yeah seems like wasting money on this lawyer if you need strangers advice on a forum while paying him to do the same thing with less knowledge.