OnlineDomain.com Domain Name News & Opinions
Rob Monster explained why the domain name GAB.com is now registered with the Epik domain name registrar.
Last week GoDaddy told the controversial website that they should get a new registrar within 24 hours before their domain was suspended.
The domain name Gab.com was sold on Flippa.com in September 2018 for $220,000 but the domain was not paid in full. It is on a payment plan on Escrow.com.
So the domain name was and is held by escrow.com until it is paid in full. This means that the decision was not really supposed to be made by the website owners but mostly by escrow.com and the the seller of the domain.
Not sure who made the decision but the domain moved the domain to Uniregistry, a registrar based in the Cayman Islands.
I have a feeling that the seller didn’t like this move. The domain left the US jurisdiction and that seems like a risk.
So the domain moved again to a different registrar. This time it went to Epik.com.
A post by Rob Monster, CEO of Epik.com, summarized why Epik welcomed Gab.com. It also addressed why he believed the operators of the site have the right to be online.
Here are a few excerpts that I found interesting:
“For those not familiar with the case, Gab.com’s ability to operate was abruptly terminated by Godaddy, among other vendors, who deemed Gab to have violated their terms of service.”
“Along the way, I did have an opportunity to meet with the Founder of Gab, Andrew Torba, an entrepreneur who was willing to swim against the tide for what he believes is right, namely empowering netizens to discuss openly about matters of mutual interest with limited risk of censorship.”
“Although, I did not take the decision lightly to accept this domain registration, I look forward to partnering with a young, and once brash, CEO who is courageously doing something that looks useful.”
“To the casual observer, the case of Gab.com seems like it is something new. It is not. It is history repeating itself. While there are consequences to actions, there is also the proverbial risk of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. My hope, for all of our sakes, is that Gab.com treads wisely, using its liberty for the betterment of most, and the enlightenment of all.”
I have to say that I do not support extremists of any kind. I also support freedom of speech. So I do think that the reaction and outrage towards Gab.com was a little disproportionate to the role that it played in the Pittsburgh shooting. For example people have said way worst things on Facebook or Twitter. Why aren’t people attacking the giants?
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Epic promotional opportunity to market his registry.
Well “Jay” you have posted your nonsense in a few places.
The total revenue contribution from Gab.com in 2018 is under $10. Maybe, just maybe, there are larger reasons to be in business as a registrar. You probably did not consider it, and likely doubt it, but my motivation here is neither monetary nor ego. Free speech — warts and all — matters more than most people realize … yet.
And for domain investors, the value of the domain asset is a function of it being usable. The more people who can use it, the more valuable it becomes. If you shrink the pool of potential users, or put sanctions on them arbitrarily without due process, this is not so different than a farmer having their land taken away without compensation.
I don’t own a registry. You are obvious not a domain industry person or you would know the difference between registry, registrar, registrant and regulator. Perhaps attend an ICANN meeting sometime. They are open and free filled with hard-working volunteers who are trying to keep the internet free and orderly.
Specific to Gab, if folks issue with content, we are not hosting it. Those can be directed to support@gab.com where folks are reviewing content against published guidelines that I found to be reasonable. The public is free to monitor the activity there.
“For example people have said way worst things on Facebook or Twitter. Why aren’t people attacking the giants?”
I just asked something like that over at DNW: https://domainnamewire.com/2018/11/05/rob-monster-explains-why-he-accepted-gab-com-domain-at-epik/#comment-2252063.
I have another comment there awaiting moderation which links to a video that can help answer your question, but of course it seems you would already know the answer.
A study of the postings on Gab showed that the incidence of “hate speech” there was 240% higher than on Twitter.
Please give a link of the study.
Does the study compare gab to twitter political conversations or all of twitter?
Not according to the study referred to in this interview with A. Torba of Gab.com, which is good and well worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IIm8WrkIOE
that might be why I have had inquires into purchasing a domain I have called GabAbout.com
maybe they wanted to Gab About Gab (smile)