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Network Solutions Sells Out -- Domain Info For Sale
Lauren Weinstein sent us this about the latest edition of his newsletter on privacy: "Greetings. In the latest PRIVACY Forum Digest, I report on Network Solution's moves to sell domain registration data, domain activity information, and other goodies
to direct marketers." Those of us with our names on a bunch of domains have plenty of experience with spam to those addresses... but it seems that maybe, perhaps, NSI is actually offering an opt-out method.
Considering how many slashdot readers run domains (I run 4, and 3 were registered through NSI) it seems as tho this would warrant making it to the front page.
NSI is just a shady company, and at this point, with other choices available, I would advise everyone to choose a different registrant. This is just one more crummy thing they have done.
Time for some tasty Shiner Bock!
You might include the remarkably easy and clear (/sarcasm) opt out instructions that the article credits NSI with providing.
If you don't want to participate in NSI's bulk/marketing bonanza, you'll need to avail yourself (now that you'll know about them) of their opt-outs. Buried within their privacy policy it says that you can send notes with the text:
remove bulk access
or:
remove domain
respectively, in the subject lines of e-mail to:
privacy@networksolutions.com
with a list in the body of the message detailing the domains (for which you are the registrant) that you wish to opt-out.
You either believe in rational thought or you don't
... to Domain Discover
They're a little cheaper, and have a great web-based signup form. It was really simple to do the transfer.
Two negatives make a positive, but two positives don't make a negative.
If you disagree with me on social issues, then it's pretty clear that you are a narrow-minded bigot.
Winning With Data From Network Solutions
As I'm the technical contact for a few thousand domain names through NSI alone, this brings new hope for what I thought was the most possible spam anyone could receive.
Luckily I've got employees to harass spammers via phone when spam reaches me. Time to hire more techicians.
Ahhh yes, the power of delegation.
--- Matthew Hill
"To quote the self is an act of the self riteous and uninitiated sub-moronic" - Matthew Hill
I have recived many direct mailings regarind .. hosting and what not directly affter registering a domain>
Oh, I don't know...
I'm sure the folks at NSI will keep their databases fully up to date, and automatically cull you from their herd of cash cows just because you switched registrations..
You either believe in rational thought or you don't
All I have to say is that they'd better mail all affected persons before-hand and inform them of the opt-out method. Otherwise, despite the courtesy of providing said method, they would be just as evil as the spammers who don't care if people try to opt-out.
Now we'll get more mail about porn sites, credit cards, and how to get rich quick!
--Shoot me, I used to be an MCSE
ICANN MANDATES that every registrar permit their whois to be sold via annual subscription for no more than $10,000.
This is mandated by the accreditation agreements, and has been the case for well over a year now. I don't know why this is being brought up now, didn't anyone read the ICANN rules back in the fall of 1999 when this was all announced?
Here is the relevant portion of the ICANN Accreditation rules:
WilliamXa. Registrar shall make a complete electronic copy of the data available at least one time per week for download by third parties who have entered into a bulk access agreement with Registrar.
b. Registrar may charge an annual fee, not to exceed US$10,000, for such bulk access to the data.
c. Registrar's access agreement shall require the third party to agree not to use the data to allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations via e-mail (spam).
d. Registrar's access agreement may require the third party to agree not to use the data to enable high-volume, automated, electronic processes that apply to Registrar (or its systems).
e. Registrar's access agreement may require the third party to agree not to sell or redistribute the data except insofar as it has been incorporated by the third party into a value-added product or service that does not permit the extraction of a substantial portion of the bulk data from the value-added product or service for use by other parties.
f. Registrar may enable SLD holders who are individuals to elect not to have Personal Data concerning their registrations available for bulk access for marketing purposes based on Registrar's "Opt-Out" policy, and if Registrar has such a policy Registrar shall require the third party to abide by the terms of that Opt-Out policy; provided, however, that Registrar may not use such data subject to opt-out for marketing purposes in its own value-added product or service."
use a different registrar..
i don't know of any reason to use network solutions anymore, their prices are much higher, and their service is much slower, and harder to use.
i haven't experimented with any registrars other than netsol and tucows/opensrs, but opensrs is a million and a half times better than netsol, changes made to the domain usually propigate within 24 hours (the delays are due to the root-servers) and hit whois instantly.
also the domain transfer procedure seems well done, and the web interface for changing domains is sweet.
not to mention a price of $10/domain year. the only issue is that they don't contract with users directly, only resellers ($250 minimum deposit) but if you know anybody in isp or internet consulting, you can probably easily convince them to get an account with tucows.
the support people were really friendly last time i needed support as well
i would imagine other alternative registrars are good as well, but i haven't used any
Need a Catering Connection
Network Solutions sold out years ago. What's the point of this article? It may as well have had the headline "Pedophile molests child, film at eleven."
Edith Keeler Must Die
I'm going to transfer my remaining NSI domains to OpenSRS instead.
We're an OpenSRS reseller and NetworkSolutions has begun sending our customers letters of renewal asking for a "discounted" rate of $25 per year. I have to tell my customers to not send any money. It doesn't seem to matter which registrar you use.
Pull my finger for my public key.