CTOForADay.com

A nice theory; in practice, though, it amounts to abuse of power. Here's a few simple facts:

• Verisign is granted a 'monopoly' license (the technical implementation pretty much requires it) in the .com Registry Agreement and .net Registry Agreement, which include strict policies on modification and extension of the service they provide;
• Addition of new services is expressly prohibited in that contract unless it first passes through ICANN's acceptance process, which includes public and technical input in their decision process - these actions break both the letter and the spirit of those contracts;
• Verisign has created this service without the permission of ICANN, the users of the internet, the registrars which Verisign to provide the service to, or the various technical bodies responsible for standards management (including the IETF and the Architecture Review Board);
• This product, by no longer returning 'NXDOMAIN', a response meaning that a domain doesn't exist, wreaks havoc with a broad range of internet services - the internet is made up of more than just web browsers and web servers
• This product extends Versign's activities into competing with other search engine providers by abusing their licensed position as the central repository of all knowledge of domain names; such abuse of monopoly is the reason ICANN was created in the first place;
• The reason that registry and registrar services are split - the reason that you register for a .com at GANDI.net, but it's held in servers managed by Verisign/Network Solutions, is because the monopoly on domain services was wildly uncompetitive; it is wrong to give additional centralised services in which registrars such as GANDI.net do not have an opportunity to provide value-add services and continue the balance between registry/registrar;
• Violates UDRP flagrantly; many people who have gone to court to eliminate and protect trademarked domains, and block them from permanent purchase, now go to a website again. Those domains cannot and should not be taken back into service - even if it's to make Verisign money (and some say, including me, especially to do so);
• Most importantly, Verisign has already begun to abuse this position. The listings are already sold - Overture is providing the 'keyword' listings of which words match to which sites, words that are sold to the highest bidder. This is not, and cannot be in any way, contrived as a 'public service' of any kind. This is a commercial money-maker and extends their power into direct competition with Google - a system which, while a commercial venture, does not taint its results in such a flagrant way.

However, it is on the grounds of standards abuse, first and foremost, that we must all step forward and demand revocation of this service.

To facilitate this, petitions are already being set up.

Please take a few moments to sign these petitions and put your digital foot down.

Primary Site
Stop Verisign DNS Abuse: whois.sc

Mirrors
A list of mirrors has been made available.

Other Ways To Help
Print out the petition text and fax it to ICANN at: +1 310 823 8649

ICANN has already requested its removal; Verisign has already stuck two digital fingers up at their request. Until Verisign has decided that their 'assessment' of the impact is complete, they intend to perpetuate both the service and the damage it causes. ICANN has then reiterated its request for suspension of the service.

We can only make our voices heard; to do otherwise is to assist in destroying the services we use and rely on every day to behave in predictable and obvious ways - ways damaged by Verisign's actions. Please take the time to educate yourself and do something to stop them.