HavenCo Doing Well

davecl writes: "The off-shore datahaven, HavenCo, is doing well, according to the BBC. HavenCo is based on a WW2 gunnery platform several miles of the English coast. In the 60s it was outside the 3 mile territorial waters, and a retired Army officer moved there and proclaimed it the independent state of Sealand. In the 80s territorial waters were extended to 12 miles. Sealand's nation status is this unclear, but this hasn't stopped HavenCo setting up their data haven. Customers are largely gambling sites, but an increasing number of political groups, such as the Tibetan Government in Exile, are based there in an effort to escape government censorship. More regulation of the web means more customers, and business is booming. Wonder if others will see this as a way of making money out of beating censorship?" We've mentioned Sealand several times before -- it's great to hear they're defying the skeptics.

Comments

Re:If they get too successful

[stoolpigeon]

I love the idea of data havens, but how can you protect one.

You put it on the moon that's how. And if the govt. gives you grief you wrap big chunks of rock in steal jackets- launch them w/a magnetic catapult and drop them on the earth. You just keep that up until the earth gives in and you have your freedom as a sovereign planet.

really it's a no brainer.

Don't expect Sealand to defend your copyright.

[stonedown]

"I'd post it online if I wasn't afraid of someone totally ripping it off."

Yeah, especially someone hosted by Sealand. ;-)

"Sealand currently has no regulations regarding copyright, patents, ..."

Re:Why no .sea?

[raju1kabir]

Why don't they have a TLD?

For the ISO to assign you a TLD, you have to be a real country, or at least a colony with the potential for eventual independence.

Sealand doesn't have a TLD for the same reason that I'm not assigned a TLD every time I go swimming on the New Jersey shore.