Or if you already have one … Don’t count on privacy.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (”NTIA”) , the telecommunications and Internet arm of the Department of Commerce, has disallowed private registrations for .US domain names.
This unfortunate decision was made by the NTIA, without a hearing or an opportunity for a response by those affected — in fact; there was no due process of any kind. It’s ironic that the NTIA has taken away our first amendment rights to privacy for the one domain name (.US) that is specifically intended for Americans. These bureaucrats stripped away the privacy that you’re entitled to as an American; on the only domain name that says that you are an American.
Even while the NTIA has ruthlessly criticized ICANN in the past for lack of transparency, the NTIA itself has been evasive and untruthful about the entire process, and has yet to provide a satisfactory explanation for the move.
After giving only two weeks’ notice, the NTIA has stated that they would not consider any arguments and that its decision is final, leaving thousands of .US domain owners confused and exposed.
Your Privacy at Stake: Decision Made to Disallow Private Registrations for .US Domain Names
Immediate repercussions for .US domain owners include:
LOSS OF protection from stalkers and harassers.
LOSS OF protection against solicitation and unwelcome visitors for home-based Web businesses.
LOSS OF protection for loved ones associated with a family Web site or domain name.
LOSS OF protection against SPAM and phishing (an email falsely claiming to be a legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft).
LOSS OF protection against attempts to steal identities and/or money.
LOSS OF protection against general solicitations via phone and/or fax.
LOSS OF the right to operate a Web site anonymously.
LOSS OF the ability to speak anonymously (a First Amendment right confirmed by the Supreme Court).
10:07 am on April 1st, 2005
Trust Big Brother…
10:29 am on April 1st, 2005
Just how long will it take before they move on to the rest of us not long unless we act now I’m certain.
12:44 pm on April 1st, 2005
That is just so wrong. You take away privacy for one domain, it won’t be too long before they arbitrarily take it away for .com, .net and all the others.
8:25 pm on April 3rd, 2005
I’m not sure they’ll be able to do it for .com and .net seeings how they aren’t US only sites. I did communicate with Bob Parsons from GoDaddy and he told me about the link you just posted. I understand the thinking behind it but it’s getting a bit extreme.
11:05 pm on August 14th, 2006
while you are debating about .us domain, other people are promoting .eu domain http://www.internet.bs ! Why we do not stop all this chatting and move to something concrete? I mean some real action.
3:35 pm on April 22nd, 2007
[...] You want something that makes absolutely no sense? An agency I never heard of has abruptly and without explanation has disallowed private registration of .US domains. [...]