New Bill Threatens Domain Registrants and Poses Risks to Internet Commerce

[Aperio.org]

Appreciated this issue being brought to light. I signed the petition.
Also, I submitted a link to digg to try to bring even more attention (hope that was ok) - couldn't hurt to have some people here digg it to try to get it to the main page. There's certainly enough bodies here to make that happen:

http://digg.com/tech_news/Anti_Phishing_bill_may_squash_the_domain_name_industry

 

[Rockefeller]

Yet another article:

http://www.domainnews.com/general/2008032717/once-again-sign-the-petition-stop-the-snowe-bill/

 

[fab]

Agreed.

I don't agree, what will happen is the market will change, happens all the time. Domainers will start trademarking their own domains, create content web-sites, and less parking.

 

[Stian]

I don't agree, what will happen is the market will change, happens all the time. Domainers will start trademarking their own domains, create content web-sites, and less parking.

Yes, domaining might change a bit. We might have to do our thing in a different way, but domaining won't cease to exist. This is the internet, it's still young and I think we, as domainers, will have to adapt to a lot of changes in the years to come.

 

[Rockefeller]

I don't agree, what will happen is the market will change, happens all the time. Domainers will start trademarking their own domains, create content web-sites, and less parking.

I don't think the bill is going to go far anyway, there are no hearings scheduled for the bill. I think raising awareness and getting the petition going are great precautions.

 

[Gerry]

I don't think the bill is going to go far anyway, there are no hearings scheduled for the bill. I think raising awareness and getting the petition going are great precautions.

There does not have to be a hearing. This bill can simply get attached to one slatted for signature and it is signed into law. Often this is how congress passes bills.

You vote for my bill and we'll include yours with it.

In other words, I can have a bill to RID THE US OF MAN EATING COCKROACHES. It passes both houses. But in the meantime deals were made along the way to include this bill and that bill in exchange for votes. The subsequent bills are literally "buried" in the signed bill but nevertheless become law.

That is why they call it politicking.

As for this spelling the gloom and doom of domaining, they have no idea of the legal wrangling this would cause for business, domainers, registrars, and commerce in general.

Even if it was passed, someone could easily make a motion to repeal it. But in the meantime, there will be a huge mess as it goes through more stages of revisions, rewrites, etc.

The most recent of which I recall being repealed was the "SUV tax break" fiasco.

But having dual parties sponsor this makes it easier to sell to other members of congress and tougher to repeal.

 

[sashas]

Look, absurd bills like this keep getting drafted all the time. This isn't something new. Almost none of them actually get passed, simply because they are so ****ing absurd.

Yes, that doesn't mean we sit idle and not do something about this. We have to let the people responsible know what its going to do to our industry.


While we're all talking about its impact on the domain industry, don't forget that this bill would also severely impact privacy laws. I don't think this can pass through in its current form; you can imagine a ton of angry, panicked non-domainer domain owners making some big noise about the erosion of whois privacy...that alone should be enough for a revision to this bill

 

[fab]

I don't think the bill is going to go far anyway, there are no hearings scheduled for the bill. I think raising awareness and getting the petition going are great precautions.

I hope you're right.

 

[cadillac880]

Check out

# 1,063: Mar 6, 2008, Britney J Spears , California

Is this some joke? I hope most of these signatures are legit, as it appears anyone can sign this!


Cad

 

[Electric-Shadow]

I can't really see britney spears giving a toss about something like this just now lol, I know I wouldn't if i were her, i somehow dont think thats legit

 

[cadillac880]

Of course its not legit, at least I highly doubt it I am just hoping most of the others are legit.

I can't really see britney spears giving a toss about something like this just now lol, I know I wouldn't if i were her, i somehow dont think thats legit

 

[Electric-Shadow]

I also hope it doesn't affect the legality of the petition if it is intended to be used

 

[gorilla_bob]

Does anyone have any press contacts so that we can get this into a more open forum than just the boards?

The spin would be ... "Is Big Business taking over the Internet?".

The more people are aware of this the more people will join. IMHO getting 1,000 or even 10,000 signatures just won't cut it. We need to get people outside of the professional domain community to join in on this.

Where's Obama when you need him?

- Bob

 

[socalboy]

I just looked at the committee website. Here it is:

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=About.Members

The chairman who decides what happens is Inouye, a strong Democrat. Also sitting on the committee are Boxer, Kerry, Rockefeller, Lautenberg, etc.

It looks like it would go to the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation, which is chaired by Kerry, another strong Democrat. Here is that site:

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Subcommittees.Subcommittee&Subcommittee_ID=87

I wouldn't get too upset just yet. Basically the bill is a wish list at this point. The authors put in everything they want, but may not get.

If you want to help, you can send POLITE short correspondence to each of the committee and especially subcommittee members. State succinctly your position on the bill and why. If you want to email, you usually have to go the senators' individual sites and put in your address. They pay much more attention to the people who live in their states.

 

[A D]

http://www.dotsauce.com/2008/03/06/snowe-bill/

Another good fine print read on the bill.

-=DCG=-

 

[Gerry]

Free Banners to post on web sites:

http://xps.mobi/images//snowe%20min.jpg
160 width perfect for side bars, mobi sites, menus

http://xps.mobi/images//snowe.jpg
Half banner sized​

 

[MobileDesigner]

wow! now at 1,185

nice banners

 

[Fearless]

Free Banners to post on web sites:

http://xps.mobi/images//snowe%20min.jpg
160 width perfect for side bars, mobi sites, menus

http://xps.mobi/images//snowe.jpg
Half banner sized​

Doc Com finally found a use for his crappy mobees. :yes:

 

[Gerry]

I knew someone would pick up on the URL. Using my Joomla web hosting for many things.

You can also find it here:

http://ceuq.com/images//snowe.jpg

That is, unless you want to help me finish Xtreme Pro Sports (XPS).mobi

 

[austinandrew]

I wouldn't get too upset just yet. Basically the bill is a wish list at this point. The authors put in everything they want, but may not get.

If you want to help, you can send POLITE short correspondence to each of the committee and subcommittee members. State succinctly your position on the bill and why. If you want to email, you usually have to go the senators' individual sites and put in your address. They pay much more attention to the people who live in their states.

Two good points:

1. Be polite and share your thoughts without emotion. Saying "this f'n sucks, you stupid moron" won't get you anywhere.

2. The people you elect care more about what you think than Ted Stevens does. Email your senator and tell them your thoughts on the bill. That way if it passes the committee we can hopefully have enough people to vote against it.