FC: Does .biz "lottery" violate the law? FTC stays mum...

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

I wish Russ well, but doubt he'll get anywhere. :)

News coverage of ICANN deal:
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,24500,00.html
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/165717.html 
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/165733.html 
http://www.icannwatch.org/article.php?sid=149 
http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,43805,00.html

-Declan

*********

From: admin () consumer net (Admin)
To: <declan () well com>
Subject: .biz Lottery illegal?
Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 19:16:07 -0400

.biz is going to be released in a "lottery" fashion where you must pay in
order to be put into a pool for each domain.  The price for this "ticket" is
non-refundable.  I have contacted the FTC a couple of times to ask id this
is an illegal lottery.  First they referred me to ICANN.  then they referred
me to the Department of Justice and claimed they did not have any contacts
they could provide.  I am being charged a wholesale price of $3 per "ticket"
to get a chance at getting any individual domain.

Russ Smith
http://TheNic.com




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