No Such Weblog

Writes Michael Palage on Nikomarketing.com (the guys offering 20 million WHOIS records for $ 199): If this registrant is found to be in violation of its registrant agreement I hope that TUCOWS would do the right thing and terminate this domain name service agreement.

On the one hand, I share Michael's sentiment that something should be done against these guys. On the other hand, what he suggests amounts to getting registrars into the business of enforcing just about anybody's real or perceived rights by shutting down registrations without even a court order, on the basis that registrants' agreements state that to the best of the [their] knowledge and belief, neither this registration of a domain name NOR THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY USED infringes upon the legal rights of a third party" (emphasis added).

ICANN has posted its proposed budget for the fiscal year 2003/04. A rather notable change against the preliminary budget is a $ 90,000 increase in Board & Public Meeting to fund travel to ICANN Board meetings for the three members of the GNSO Council and the five members of the ALAC selected by the Nominating Committee, as requested by the chair of the Nominating Committee. I think that this is a good decision.