Rather Than Speaking Out Against Domain Seizures, ICANN Provides A 'How To' Manual

from the uh,-bad-decision dept

A couple weeks ago, we noted that with all of these questionable domain seizures going on, it was a shame that ICANN wasn't speaking out against such questionable abuses of the domain system. We thought its silence was a sign of its impotence to actually take a stand. Turns out we may have actually overestimated ICANN's willingness to stand up for the internet. You see, late last week it put out a "Thought Paper on Domain Seizures and Takedowns."

By "thought paper" -- they actually mean an instruction manual.

Seriously. The document is basically a step-by-step guide for government officials on how to seize, takedown and censor websites. It has sections like "guide for preparing domain name orders, seizures & takedowns" and "checklist of information to submit with a legal or regulatory action." This is exactly the opposite of what ICANN should be doing if it believes in preserving the basic structure and principles of the internet. But given ICANN's general incompetence, is it really any surprise that it's ending up on the wrong side of this issue, too?
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Filed Under: domain names, domain seizures, legality, seizures
Companies: icann


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  • icon
    Skeptical Cynic (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 8:51am

    ICANN

    ICANN help your government violate your lawful rights and take from you what you own without due process or even telling you why.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      silverscarcat (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:47am

      Re: ICANN

      ICANN tell you that they are just as stupid as the rest of the government is.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:05am

      Re: ICANN

      Who can help your government steal your culture and your rights? .... ICANN (Pronounced: I CAN)

      Who can help you censor your citizens rights and limit pesky 'free' speech? .... ICANN

      Who can help maintain tyrannical dictatorships (AKA DEMOCRACY)in first world countries by presenting only the views you want seen? ..... ICANN

      ICANN do a lot, but so can you, speak up and don't let these terrorists win....

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        OC, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:55am

        Re: Re: ICANN

        Much funnier if you sing/hum it like the old Batman theme song.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 1:38pm

          ...or the Theme From Shaft?

          "You say these ICANN cats are some bad mother..."

          "Shut yo' mouth!"

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:40am

    Wikileaks, here we come.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      tqk (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:12am

      Re:

      Wikileaks, here we come.

      I'd be more worried about Anonymous. I wonder if ICANN's backroom techs are as intellectually lazy as their PR dept.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 3:40pm

        Re: Re:

        With Distributed DNS coming along and "independent" registrars acting outside normal authorities, ICANT "soon" will be rendered useless by the masses.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Nastybutler77 (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:52am

    Well it looks like it's time to scrap this IP address system and start a new one.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:53am

    LOL! Unlike you, Mike, ICANN isn't rooting for the criminals.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:57am

      Re:

      @ #6

      are you really such a fucking moron or are you just hoping to be (in which case you're succeeding!)?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      weneedhelp (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:58am

      Re:

      Whats funny? You just like to write LOL.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:00am

      Re:

      This is the kind of stupid comment I hate seeing on here. It's ill informed and completely off topic in a way.

      Mike is NOT rooting for the criminals. In case you've missed it, he's clearly stated (on more than one occasion and to more than one troll, like yourself) that he is AGAINST piracy. Karl, a frequent commenter, one time even went so far as to go back and search for and then link to every single EXACT QUOTE from Mike on the subject and his views on it. I think Karl came up with, and it was a quick search, AT LEAST 15 or so links. So this "Mike supports piracy" and "Mike roots for criminals" thing seriously needs to stop because it's just stupid and petty and really reeks of desperation to smear him and what he says.

      You may disagree with his views and opinions, that's your right. But to state he roots for criminals is completely off base.

      Consider yourself adequately corrected, moron.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Rikuo (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:10am

        Re: Re:

        Mike IS rooting for criminals. Ya know, the 300 odd million "criminals" in the US that the Department of "Justice" hasn't gotten around to charging, arresting, having a trial then throwing in the private prison at tax-payer's expense.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:59am

        Re: Re:

        ROFLMAO!! Yeah. You showed me!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:17am

          Re: Re: Re:

          I didn't show you, I corrected your incorrect statement.

          If I wanted to show you, I'd be more of a dick about it by linking to Karl's comment which links to all of Mike's comments, which WOULD show you.

          But as you're a troll, even with all that proof readily available, you'd still keep on keepin' on.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 3:50pm

        Re: Re:

        Mike is NOT rooting for the criminals. < \/>

        Decrying every initiative to reign in piracy makes it difficult to take such statements seriously.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 3:55pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          Decrying every STUPID AND/OR USELESS/INEFFECTIVE initiative to reign in piracy...

          FTFY.

          There's nothing wrong with what he's doing at all by the way. Pointing out the flaws in a "fix"/"solution" DOES NOT mean you are pro-anything. It just means you're being realistic and able to see that the "cures" aren't going to fix the "disease".

          It beats the alternative of pissing and moaning and then advocating for everything possible to stop the problem, without realizing that you won't stop the problem (or the roots of it) at all, all while at the same time causing EVEN MORE problems to other people and industries.

          It's hard to take you seriously at all when this is exactly what you want/advocate for.

          The criminals are the ones who advocate such extreme and fruitless measures. Whoever and for whatever they may be.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 6:19pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Wait, are you saying that the follow the money strategy espoused by Google and others are among the stupid and ineffective measures?

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:09am

      Re:

      Oh, I'd also like to add the following:

      A "How To" Manual for seizing domains is pretty stupid and is more criminal than anything Mike has allegedly "said" or "rooted for" (although he has done no such thing, but for the sake of argument we'll pretend you're right). To put it simply, it's basically a guide on how to censor websites. Reasons for censorship not mattering at all.

      This is the kind of thing that people were worrying about in regards to SOPA, and now here comes ICANN with a manual on how to do exactly that. Which will just be abused by those with the power to do so and get away with it, i.e. governments.

      And before you come back with something stupid and or not based on any actual facts (and no, your opinion DOES NOT count as fact), we're still a year after the fact (in regards to the seizure of Dajaz1) and no information is readily forthcoming or available. Which is a great example of what's to come, especially with a "How To" manual paving the way, for those who are clueless of how to do so with current technology (which comprises pretty much all those wanting to do such things and pass laws to such effect).

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:10am

      Re:

      ICANN: "Nice website you got there. It'd be a shame if someone messed it up by registering yoursite.xxx and filled it with gay pron.".

      Tell me again who's the biggest criminal?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      silverscarcat (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:14am

      Your quote is wrong, so let me fix it for you.

      "LOL! ICANN is rooting for the criminals."

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Josef Anvil (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:26am

      Re:

      replace criminals with "consumers".

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:39am

      Re:

      Successful troll is boring.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 9:59am

    Of course ICANN is helping to do the US government's bidding, ICANN is located in the US, and probably corrupted by the same people who tried to push SOPA through.

    If we really want to protect the integrity & principles of the Internet we should make a new ICANN somewhere else, since obviously the country that created the Internet can't be trusted with control of the Internet anymore.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      MadCow (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:12am

      Re:

      This is exactly what I was thinking. Once you have people with this kind of power there becomes the problem of not "Can they be bribed" but really "How much will it take to bribe them?". I have a suspicion that content owners and people hailing the take downs finally found the "how much" to get ICANN to bow to their whims.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:39am

        Re: Re:

        I think this may be more of a case that Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely. Not sure how one would adjust the power of ICANN to make them less willing to wield power for the sake of wielding power, but it needs to be done.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:06am

    Remind me how the UN running this ship is bad again?

    Because obviously keeping these crucial elements stateside is working out well.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    rubberpants, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:14am

    ICANN is corrupt

    At this point they seem to be most interested only in abusing their power and creating artificial scarcity to enrich themselves.

    The .xxx tld and the custom tld incidents come to mind. Their only purpose is to blackmail businesses under the threat of defamation and brand damage. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come up with another scheme like ".sucks" domain. "Better buy .sucks domain (for $1000 a year) before someone else does!"

    Criminals.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    vastrightwing, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:21am

    Peer to peer DNS

    Clearly this now means it’s time for a serious discussion on alternative DNS. This can be easily done. Simply search for "alternative DNS" and there many articles talking about this very thing. I kind of like the Dot-BIT project. This is a peer to peer system that on the surface seems like it would solve government manipulation. But as we know, they manage to interfere in everything no matter what.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    BENCE KOZMA, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:30am

    thoughtpaper.today

    The idea is brilliant, but the roll-out not really matched the point what I waited for.today

    It's a hard work. I know it. Openness is the only surviving strategy...

    Just work in team, as you do it since the beginning.

    Please everybody: Watch our Dottoday Top Level Domain project's video intro and if you catch it, share it. The
    full movie coming nottoday, but in a few days... ;-)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apXWqp7UY3Q

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    toyotabedzrock (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:41am

    I Hate To Say This

    But maybe it is time for ICANN to be moved under UN control since our own government has shown a new irresponsibility.

    It literally needs to be punished to be taught a lesson.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:42am

    They are funded (millions, almost billions) but the feds. You really think they wouldn't back them up? Really?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:45am

    Vote for Ron Paul

    Do not support the man, but the message he brings


    Ron Paul

    "Personal liberty is the purpose of government, to protect liberty - not to run your personal life, not to run the economy, and not to pretend that we can tell the world how they ought to live."

    Hell hath no fury, if he ends up being another politician, but the message regardless deserves the support.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:05am

      Re:

      He has 20+ years of consistency. His message has been the same. If you looked at the record of the other clowns in the race (hell, maybe all of the US Legislature) and added up the length of time they consistently voted/legislated what they preach combined they couldn't compare to Paul. So at least we know RP isn't a lying, flip-flopping, compromising tool of oppression.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:48am

    Here ICANN says they can't suspend domains

    So which is it? They can suspend domains or they can't?

    "Even if ICANN were properly brought before the court in this matter, which ICANN has not been, ICANN cannot comply with any order requiring it to suspend or place a client hold on Spamhaus.org or any specific domain name because ICANN does not have either the ability or the authority to do so. Only the Internet registrar with whom the registrant has a contractual relationship - and in certain instances the Internet registry - can suspend an individual domain name."

    http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-10oct06-en.htm

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 10:58am

    No surprise here!

    Have a look at the bios for the ICANN leadership.

    Said of the President and CEO Rod Beckstrom:

    Rod Beckstrom is a highly successful entrepreneur, founder and CEO of a publicly-traded company, a best-selling author, avowed environmentalist, public diplomacy leader and, most recently, the head of a top-level federal government agency entrusted with protecting the nation’s communication networks against cyber attack.

    Throughout 2008, Rod served as the Director of the National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he reported to the Secretary of DHS, and was charged with cooperating directly with the Attorney General, National Security Council, Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Prior to joining DHS, he served on the DNI’s Senior Advisory Group. Rod is unique in having experienced the inner workings of two, highly-charged, often competing, federal security agencies created in the wake of the September 11th attacks, an event that he says, “changed my life.”


    ICANN is goose-stepping in time to the governments' demands. Otherwise, they will be removed/replaced by those who will. Crony capitalism at its best. (Yes, I know ICANN is "not-for-profit" organization but still benefits from the government granted monopoly, protections, and regulatory capture any of our fine corporate overlords can enjoy.)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:28am

      Re: No surprise here!

      For what it's worth, Rod isn't as bad as you make him out to be. His book about distributed networks is actually really quite interesting -- and apparently he got pushed out as the head of NCSC because he conflicted with the standard gov't viewpoint on these things...

      But, yeah, this is just weak on ICANN's part.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:02am

    ICANN are on the side they are being paid to be on. their instructions on how to better seize domains etc is a complete slap in the face, considering what anyone expects from them! however, another organisation showing how much it despises the public and favours corporations/governments/law enforcement, whether under 'encouragement' or not, is not surprising!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TDR, 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:27am

    Perhaps we should start referring to ICANN as ICAN'T instead...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Overcast (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 11:58am

    Mike is NOT rooting for the criminals. In case you've missed it, he's clearly stated (on more than one occasion and to more than one troll, like yourself) that he is AGAINST piracy. Karl, a frequent commenter, one time even went so far as to go back and search for and then link to every single EXACT QUOTE from Mike on the subject and his views on it. I think Karl came up with, and it was a quick search, AT LEAST 15 or so links. So this "Mike supports piracy" and "Mike roots for criminals" thing seriously needs to stop because it's just stupid and petty and really reeks of desperation to smear him and what he says.

    You may disagree with his views and opinions, that's your right. But to state he roots for criminals is completely off base.

    Consider yourself adequately corrected, moron.


    Yeah, I agree and my position is the same. I really don't condone piracy, but rank stupidity really annoys me - thus why I comment on here a lot.

    Let's look at a hypothetical - let's say that SOPA went through - first time, no opposition and this goes through - this will not be enough of course, piracy will continue.

    So the government will do MORE AND MORE to restrict the 'piracy' - when really it will just make life harder for legit users - the pirates will go on routing around it - hell, it's what drives them - *busting the system*.

    That's why they do what they do - probably more to 'stick it to the man' - then anything else.

    I mean - why else would they do all this stuff for 'free'?

    IF the government and these corporations had their way, the internet would end up being so gimped, and so bug ridden that it's popularity would wane quickly. Like anything else that corporations or government end up putting out there - half the time, it's worthless garbage that was only done to make someone a buck. MOST of the good stuff doesn't come from corporations or government does it?

    It's just like DRM on a game like Spore or something - you can add all you want, but that doesn't mean people will like it more, pay more or use it more now will it?

    There are at least 4 games I have sitting in my old CD bin that I won't bother to play - because the DRM is a hassle. I don't play games to be hassled, sorry.

    And the web is an ok tool, and even if the government and the corporations have their way totally, I might use it with all of the excitement that I have when mailing out snail-mail letters; in other words *if I have to*, but I certainly wouldn't spend much time on there if all that was out there to look at was corporate and government content... blah.

    That's like watching infomercials and c-span all day - who the hell does that?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Liz (profile), 12 Mar 2012 @ 12:22pm

    All: Who controls the internet?
    Who makes the users all suspect?
    ICANN! ICANN!

    Karl: Who leaves websites off the maps?
    Lenny: Who keeps trade agreements under wraps?
    Alien: ICANN! ICAN!

    All: Who lets the gov'ment go too far?
    And who makes Lamar Smith a star?
    ICANN! ICANN!

    Skinner: Who robs musicians of their sites?
    Homer: Who rigs every panel night?
    All: ICANN! ICANN!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2012 @ 1:28pm

    I've never had anything good to say about ICANN and still don't.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jim Trengrove, 23 Mar 2012 @ 4:08pm

    How to?

    The fact is, law enforcement will continue to conduct site seizures in response to criminal activity, so why not provide them a clearer understanding of how domain names and the DNS actually work? On the flip side, why not give registrars and registries some insight into what they can expect if and when the law comes knocking and they’re obliged to comply?

    ICANN believes informed decision-making by all parties involved with site seizures will minimize errors and reduce collateral damage.

    So if you want to label ICANN’s "Thought Paper on Domain Seizures and Takedowns" as a “How to…” manual, finish it with “…prevent more problems.”

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Joe Dirt, 5 Apr 2012 @ 3:05pm

    Answer: Use anonymous systems

    crybabies be crying. just avoid the problem all together and build yourself a new system.

    torproject.org
    i2p2.de
    code.google.com/p/phantom
    gnupg.org
    etc.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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