GoDaddy Pulls out of China over Privacy Risks to Users
GoDaddy, the world’s largest internet domain name registrar, will no longer register domain names in China, due to new government rules for monitoring Internet use. China now requires every domain name registrant to provide photographs, business information, signed registration forms, and business registration numbers to the China Internet Network Information Center, a quasi-government agency. GoDaddy General Counsel Christine N. Jones stated, “The intent of the procedures appeared, to us, to be based on a desire by the Chinese authorities to exercise increased control over the subject matter of domain name registrations by Chinese nationals.” EPIC supports privacy for web site registrants and has worked with GoDaddy in the past to urge the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration to safeguard the right of Internet users to maintain private web site registrations. For more information on EPIC and domain name privacy, see EPIC: WHOIS.
March 26, 2010| Share:
