Verisign tells ICANN to drop dead

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 15:58:42 -0700
From: Dan Gillmor <dgillmor () mercurynews com>
Subject: Verisign tells ICANN to drop dead
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>

http://www.icann.org/correspondence/lewis-to-twomey-21sep03.htm

My comment:

http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/001361.shtml

September 22, 2003
<http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/001361.shtml#001361>Verisign 
to ICANN: We'll Do What We Please
• posted by <mailto:dgillmor () sjmercury com>Dan Gillmor 03:53 PM
• 
<http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/001361.shtml#001361>permanent 
link to this item

Verisign, indifferent to the uproar it's caused with the outrageous 
redirection of mis-typed URLs to one of its own advertising-laden sites, 
has given its answer to a request by the Internet Corporation for Assigned 
Names and Numbers to 
<http://www.icann.org/announcements/advisory-19sep03.htm>voluntarily 
suspend this "service."

The answer is 
<http://www.icann.org/correspondence/lewis-to-twomey-21sep03.htm>"No" -- 
and Verisign all but dares ICANN to even try to do something about it. Key 
quote:
"All indications are that users, important members of the internet 
community we all serve, are benefiting from the improved web navigation 
offered by Site Finder."

Note that Verisign kept its monopoly over .com and .net domains solely 
because ICANN allowed it to happen. What this means, if Verisign gets away 
with its actions, is that ICANN has no authority of any real consequence. 
It means Verisign can continue to abuse the privileged position it neither 
earned nor should have kept.

What can the community do now? I'm moving my one remaining domain to 
another registrar that at least seems honorable. Not much more I can do 
except note this ongoing thumb in the eye to the Net community.


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