Re: [ga] GoDaddy gets patent on proxy Whois service

["Prophet Partners Inc." <Domains@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dena,

Moniker was recently named as a respondent in a WIPO dispute, involving WWF.com, as a result of providing Moniker Privacy Services to the registrant. Given this precedent, we think it is likely other registrars will also be drawn into legal disputes, as a result of their proxy services. Please note that we are not attorneys and that this is only our opinion. If you require legal assistance, you should seek qualified legal counsel.

http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2006/d2006-0975.html

Sincerely,
Ted
Prophet Partners Inc.
http://www.ProphetPartners.com
http://www.Premium-Domain-Names.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dena Whitebirch" <shore@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:35 AM
Subject: Re: [ga] GoDaddy gets patent on proxy Whois service


> 
> In the mid-90's we registered some domain names for clients using their 
> real name as the 'registrant' after which all the other info such as 
> address and phone were 'c/o' ours.  In the case that someone legitimately 
> needed to contact the registrant, we relayed the information to them.
> 
> There has lately been some 'buzz' on the net discouraging registrants from 
> types of proxy registrations where the registrar actually has 'become' the 
> registrant.  I might wonder whether there would be potential legal issues 
> for a registrar who essentially becomes the registrant of a domain then 
> allows a client to 'use' it.  At best, even if disallowed by a user 
> agreement, cases of alleged trademark infringement or other abuse of a 
> domain name would seem to me to have the potential for many headaches and 
> expense to the registrar as 'registrant'.
> 
> Perhaps this patent is part of an overall attempt to separate (and 
> document) the responsibility of the registrar from that of the end user?
> 
> Dena A. Whitebirch
> @quasar Internet Solutions, Inc.
> http://quasar.net