Uniregistry issued a press release today asking for a Domain Name ‘Bill of Rights’ “to guarantee every domain name owner a formal “due process” when being faced with accusations and demands for censorship.”
Is this directed to ICANN? What do you think?
The press release feels a bid odd to me…
Here is the complete press release:
Uniregistry, the world-renowned domain name registration company called today for the creation of a domain name “Bill of Rights” to guarantee every domain name owner a formal “due process” when being faced with accusations and demands for censorship.
Such a bill would be an effort to bring assurances to domain name owners around the world that they would not lose their platform to speak – their domain name – without due process and an appropriate investigation defined by clear guidelines and the rule of law.
Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, has recently called for a new social contract to guarantee an Internet that is safe and accessible for all. A Domain Bill of Rights would be an indispensable part of such a contract.
“Uniregistry is diverse company whose culture is built on the ideology of one planet + one people and we reject hatred, bigotry and discrimination in any shape or form. We also believe strongly in the importance of free speech and expression as an inalienable human right. History has proven time and time again that these ideologies will inevitably clash. In keeping with Sir Berners-Lee’s call for a ‘Magna Carta for the web’, we would urge a Bill of Rights to provide clarity and assurances to domain registrants around the world. At Uniregistry, our mission is to provide a domain name to every global citizen and we believe the introduction of a domain name “Bill of Rights’ would bring us one step closer to that vision, explains Kanchan Mhatre, Chief Operating Officer at Uniregistry.
Interesting timing on this one after they lost gab.com to epik. I say lost because epik stepped up to grab it from uniregistry. I always say…. if I use a pencil and paper to write hatred, do we ban the pencil and paper?
I think this is a ploy on uniregistry’s part to gain more business and charge more for a service. Go with epik and you will have all that from a company with integrity.
Why don’t they start by creating a bill of rights for their own clients!
1 Uniregistry brokers will not spam your leads
2 Uniregistry brokers will not harrass your leads
3 Uniregistry brokers will not lie to your clients
4 Uniregistry brokers will not loose you a sale by selling own invetory or other names
5.Uniregistry brokers will not loose you a sale by suggesting customer hand register a name
6 Uniregistry will not steal your leads and sell them other names without permission
“Such a bill would be an effort to bring assurances to domain name owners around the world that they would not lose their platform to speak – their domain name – without due process and an appropriate investigation defined by clear guidelines and the rule of law.”
If they are so concerned why don’t they start by making a commitment not to raise peoples registrations fees overnight by 10x, 20x, 30x or more like they did with many of their garbage extensions that no one wants.
Brad
Anything Uniregistry does lately is due for scrutiny, in a long line of bizarre moves. The gTLD price hikes were simply unforgivable – and they expect everybody on the planet to buy a domain name from them?
The Internet surely does need a Bill of Rights. In any Domain version, I’d like to say that any registered domain has to serve a purpose online – not just an empty sales page, wasting good domains for years. Sorry, domain investors.
As Berners-Lee is reviving with his recent Solid project, it’s time to take the Internet back.
Domain industry has other threats as well.. decentralization, coming global financial collapse. This is the least of its worries.
Sounds like good initiative.