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AllanGardyne
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:02 am
Post subject: This stinks! GoDaddy cancels domain registration
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If you use GoDaddy as a domain name registrar you really need to read this.
GoDaddy received a complaint that an email address in a website's whois data was incorrect. It sent an email to the owner, requesting that the whois data be corrected. It received no reply.
Then - without trying to contact its customer by phone or mail - GoDaddy canceled the domain registration and sold the domain, FamilyAlbum.com, to someone else, who had it on back order.
This stinks. How would like to be a GoDaddy customer and have this happen to your website? Do you read - or even see - every email you receive?
The rules say that whois data should be correct. That's not the point here. The issue is that GoDaddy didn't make anything more than a very heart-hearted attempt to find out if a simple error had been made.
At the very least it should have sent a postcard before selling its customer's domain name to someone else.
GoDaddy, no doubt worried about the fuss over its colossal stupidity, has offered to get the name back for the original owner of FamilyAlbum.com if he indemnifies GoDaddy from legal action by the new registrant.
It's a dangerous world out there - especially if your domain registrar is GoDaddy.
What's going on behind the scenes? Perhaps someone is testing thousands of addresses found in whois data, and if the emails bounce, putting the domain names on back order? If so, this could mean a lot of extra work for decent domain registrars.
Here's the full story:
http://domainnamewire.com/2007/02/27/godaddy-deletes-domain-name-for-inaccurate-email-address/
Here's GoDaddy's feeble reply:
http://domainnamewire.com/2007/02/28/godaddy-responds-to-deletion-over-invalid-email-address/
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Stephen Carter
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:46 am
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i agree that this is pretty stupid behavior on GoDaddy's part. hopefully this story gets GD lots of bad publicity so that they put in place a rule that prevents this from happening again. and you are right, i would not be the least bit surprised if somebody engineered the release of the domain. there are lots of companies with back rooms that try to come up with "leveraging procedures" they can automate to make a buck. i worked for one for a little while, unfortunately 
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Jim Guinn
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:03 am
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When you are one of the "giants" in any industry, people will always take shots at you.
I am not rushing to GoDaddy's defense, but I failed to read anything in the previous two posts putting some responsibility on the domain owner to make sure his information was correct. I guess that was GoDaddy's fault, too? Hmmmmm....
| Quote: | | The rules say that whois data should be correct. That's not the point here. |
Why isn't it "the point" if it is a rule? BTW...this is NOT GoDaddy's rule. It's ICANN's rule and they regulate the registrars. Now, this person would never have had a problem if he kept "the rule"...at least he could have checked to see if his email (registration information) was correct.
From the article...
| Quote: | | ?We cancelled the domain name registration on this domain name because the customer did not respond to our email request to update the information. In fact, we did not hear from the customer for more than eight weeks after our initial contact attempt. Per ICANN regulations, we are required to collect valid information. Per our Registration Agreement, we will cancel the name for invalid Whois if the information is not updated within the appropriate amount of time.? |
I guess he not only failed to make sure his information was correct, he failed to read the TOS.
| Quote: | | From the second article: I?ve talked to a number of other registrars over the past 24 hours to ask what they would do in a similar situation. I?m still compiling the responses, but all said they wouldn?t cancel the domain registration. In fact, one registrar even went to court to not have to cancel a registration with invalid Whois information. |
Of course they are going to say that. What company is going to jump on this bad publicity band-wagon only to have someone write another article about them saying "The Joe-Bag-of-Donuts Registrar Company would do the same thing. They must be scum like Godaddy!"
| Quote: | | UPDATE #2 2/28/07: I just heard from GoDaddy that the cost the new owner paid for the domain was $18.99. This is the price of a backorder, not a regular registration. Perhaps this is how it worked: Person tries e-mailing domain owner with Whois information and e-mail bounces. Person backorders domain and then sends complaint to GoDaddy. GoDaddy tries to contact only via e-mail, which bounces. Domain is cancelled and given to person with backorder. |
I also love the conspiracy theory part.
And, now GoDaddy is going to bend over backwards trying to avoid bad and unjustified publicity.
| Quote: | | GoDaddy, no doubt worried about the fuss over its colossal stupidity, has offered to get the name back for the original owner of FamilyAlbum.com if he indemnifies GoDaddy from legal action by the new registrant. |
I can see why...if I were the new registrant and GoDaddy took the name away from me only to give it back to the guy who didn't check his information, didn't read the TOS and didn't respond for over 8 weeks, I'd be hopping mad!
The original registrant and the article writer are a pitiful pair. GoDaddy acted within their TOS. Now, GoDaddy is making themselves look worse trying to back out of bad publicity brought on by the original registrant and the article writer who decided to take up his cause. Now, there are 3 pitiful parties.
The whole thing is laughable.
Jim
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Larry Chamberlain
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:43 am
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Scary.
I agree that it is indeed the responsibility of the domain owner to make sure the information is correct.
But . . .
Email, as we all know, is often a flaky means of communication.
If this was a parked domain that had been sitting there unused for years I would not have too much sympathy with the owner. But it is a simple matter to check if the name is being used and if so I think a far greater effort than just an email is required.
We all forget things (specially at my age) When you last moved home how many of your contacts did you forget to inform of your new address? I?d bet it was quite a few.
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Jim Guinn
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:47 am
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| Quote: | | Email, as we all know, is often a flaky means of communication. |
.
It sure is if you enter the incorrect email address.
| Quote: | | We all forget things (specially at my age) When you last moved home how many of your contacts did you forget to inform of your new address? I?d bet it was quite a few. |
You are 100% correct. But, when you didn't get Christmas cards from friends...or bills from companies and had to pay late fees, did you blame them? No, you took a little responsibility.
That was my whole point. People need to take responsibility for themselves before they start blaming "Big Daddy"...or, in this case GoDaddy...LOL
Jim
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Larry Chamberlain
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:05 am
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Hi Jim,
| Quote: | | That was my whole point. People need to take responsibility for themselves before they start blaming "Big Daddy"...or, in this case GoDaddy...LOL |
Yes, you make your point well. There are few things that happen in this life that we can?t say that we have at least some responsibility for.
But I can?t help but feel there was also responsibility on GoDaddy to do all that it could before, in effect, it deprived someone of their business. Perhaps a ?penalty? for failing to update would have been in order, but . . .
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Jim Guinn
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:14 am
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Hi Larry,
| Quote: | | But I can?t help but feel there was also responsibility on GoDaddy to do all that it could before, in effect, it deprived someone of their business. Perhaps a ?penalty? for failing to update would have been in order, but . . . |
GoDaddy met their responsibility as outlined by the regulatory overseer, ICANN. Do you really think a huge company like this has such a all-encompassing responsibility over a $8.95 domain name?
Once again, their you go blaming GoDaddy. They didn't "deprive" anyone. The registrant deprived himself.
This infraction does not warrant a "penalty" as per ICANN, especially if GoDaddy has done what is required of them, and then waited over 8 weeks with no reply.
I applaud your "feelings" for this emerging "underdog", but you "thinking" is flawed.
Jim
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Larry Chamberlain
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:50 am
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Hi Jim,
I dare say that my thinking is flawed in a lot of respects.
| Quote: | | GoDaddy met their responsibility as outlined by the regulatory overseer, ICANN. Do you really think a huge company like this has such a all-encompassing responsibility over a $8.95 domain name? |
I can?t, and indeed am not inferring that GoDaddy did not meet ?their responsibility as outlined by the regulatory overseer, ICANN.?
You and I could go through life meeting our responsibilities as outlined by the law. If we did only that would we be good citizens?
We obviously have differing viewpoints on this.
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Jim Guinn
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:56 pm
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Hi Larry,
And, my thinking too isn't always without error, but I certainly enjoy a good debate!
I guess in this case, I feel what the "law" is, is quite sufficient considering the regitrant didn't oversee one thing, but really three.
Isn't it actually good we don't all think the same?
Have a good weekend, Larry.
Jim
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Larry Chamberlain
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AllanGardyne
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:09 pm
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| Jim Guinn wrote: | GoDaddy met their responsibility as outlined by the regulatory overseer, ICANN. Do you really think a huge company like this has such a all-encompassing responsibility over a $8.95 domain name?
Once again, their you go blaming GoDaddy. They didn't "deprive" anyone. The registrant deprived himself. |
Whew! We really do seem to see the world differently.
Yes, we should accept responsibility for our actions.
But if I make a little mistake, I expect the companies I pay my money to show a bit of understanding.
Yes, GoDaddy obeyed the law. Even if we ignore the human angle, from a purely business point of view, merely obeying the law in this case was a dumb mistake because of the bad publicity generated.
An $8.95 domain name?
No, that's not what's at stake here. What's at stake is someone's business, FamilyAlbum.com (and perhaps your business if you use GoDaddy). According to the Wayback Machine, FamilyAlbum.com had been online since at least 2002. It was owned by real people. I found their About Us page here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050728014312/www.familyalbum.com/docs/do.cgi/whoweare
You can read about the plans they had for the site. Real people. Real plans. There's a lot more at stake here than merely following the law.
It wasn't a brilliant website. But what if this DID happen to a brilliant site? If GoDaddy treats its customers this casually, this could easily happen to a website that's worth a million dollars or more.
Should a company be able to lose a million-dollar business because an employee made a typing mistake in whois, or because someone switched to another ISP and forgot that the email address in the whois data needed to be updated, too?
I think GoDaddy had a responsibility to its customer to do more than merely obey the law.
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Last edited by AllanGardyne on Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Andyz
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sophist
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:10 am
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I have had some related problems except with 1and1. Businesses should really rely on snail mail for critical issues like this rather then the flawed email system.
They send out a pack of junk software when you open an account but not for something important.
Makes no sense.
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pete
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:28 am
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I seem to remember just within the last month an article about GoDaddy shutting down an account because someone complained. Never contacted the site owners, just pulled the plug.
I forget the detaila, and don't have several hours to search, but it was the same sort of situation. Pull the plug first, then suffer the consequences.
3 times in the last few years I have had one of my debit card numbers "stolen". Twice in some of those major deals you see in the paper or hear on TV, and once at a Sam's Club gas station, of all places. ONe of those stick it in the pump and get your gas deals.
Anyhow, in each case my bank sent me a new card. No problem. But, about 40 people have the old card number on file. So, that's 40 companies I have to contact, in some cases in writing. It's some who stop doing auto payments and make me start all over again, with a new form to mail in.
And in every case, there was someone I just plain forgot. Jim Guinn, I'm sure you would have been on top of it. But me, mortal fool that I am, just plain forgot that my dialup ISP that I have used for anything except a continuing email address for 10+ years takes out an annual payment.
That once or twice a year supplier that I just send an email that I need a gross of tea-light candle 10-packs didn't come to mind one time, either.
I didn't think it would have anything to do with real events today, but it just so happens I'm now wearing a tee-shirt that ny wife gave me. It says - Manure Occureth.
Sometimes we just forget, or even with the best of intentions, overlook something.
Just last week I went to get some cash from an ATM using my personal checking card. It wouldn't "swipe", got rejected twice. My wife was with me, so I used hers and got my cash. The next day I was in the bank and asked the lady about a new card that would swipe. She said it would be a new number. I told her I'd just keep what I had and save having to mess with those 40 companines all over again.
Anyhow, that's twice recently that I've heard of GoDaddy acting as a "nameless, faceless corporation", instead of someone interested in the well being of their paying customers. Maybe it's time for me to start moving my 20 or so domains.....
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Jim Guinn
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:51 am
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Hi Allan,
| Quote: | Whew! We really do seem to see the world differently....
...But if I make a little mistake, I expect the companies I pay my money to show a bit of understanding.
Yes, GoDaddy obeyed the law. Even if we ignore the human angle, from a purely business point of view....
...No, that's not what's at stake here. What's at stake is someone's business... FamilyAlbum.com... |
Yes, we certainly do see the world, or at least this situation, very differently, Allan.
I think trying to reach the indiviual and giving him over 8 weeks to reply IS showing a "bit of understanding".
I wonder how ICANN would have treated GoDaddy if they let this situation "slide" and there erupted some illegal activity with this site? How would ICANN treat GoDaddy if they said...."er...we let it slide because we felt sorry for this poor snook who supposedly is running a responsible business, didn't read the TOS, filled in inaccurate info, didn't check it, and didn't respond to us even though we gave him over 2 months to do so." (Not that I am saying anything negative about this domain owner, but how many sites have inaccurate info entered on domain registrations on purpose?)
If something like that happened, we would be reading about how GoDaddy is "overlooking" things to make a buck. Next cry would be they are scum and only care about making money. The next comment would be how they don't care about us honest people if they let things like this go on and turn in the other direction....etc.
You see, when you are at the top of your industry's list, people are always going to second guess your motives. And, top dog's tend to take a lot of criticism from disgruntled people no matter what they do...good, bad...or ugly.
Heck, put Jesus Christ in the White House as President and within 3 months, half the American public is going to be blaming all their problems on him. Haven't we seen this with every president in this modern era? People tend to NOT take responsibility and then point the blame at someone else. And, the bigger the compnay/individual/oganization, the more people like to point the finger and complain about them. ("Big Daddy is trying to keep us down".)
You are absolutely right, Allan. What is at stake here is someone's business! Then, I would think as a business owner, he would be more attentive to the details then when it comes to his "bread-n-butter".
I make sure my T's are crossed and my i's are dotted when it comes to something as important as my business and my income, don't you Allan? Maybe this guy should have, too.
Now, we all make mistakes, let US take the responsibility for our actions, rather than blaming others.
Do you know the first thing I do after registering a new domain. I double-check that everything is correct...because it IS my business at stake. Too bad this guy takes his business so casually. Now, it's GoDaddy's fault that he didn't read the TOS, put in inaccurate info, didn't double-check his info, and didn't repsond after 8 weeks? I think not. I applaud Godaddy for policing domain registrations as they should. Too bad this guy doesn't treat his business essentials with care. It IS his responsibility after all. Now, he and others want to make Godaddy into the "bad guy".
I still laugh at this situation and how people are jumping on the band wagon to defend him when he is the one who screwed up. People can say all they want about how GoDaddy, or any large company, should do this or that, but this is big business reality in 2007. Let's deal with reality rather than what we "want" or "think" reality "should" be.
Jim
P.S. BTW. I applaud this forum for being able to have such disagreements and to be able to discuss/debate these without getting personal or making personal attacks or flaming.
This same topic is active in a few forums on the Net right now, and I am inviolved in this discussion on at least two other sites. On one of them, I am taking a beating. I don't mind that, but you would think I was the devil incarnate the way I am being personally attacked....LOL
KUDOS to AP!
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