Important: help stop an unfair bill that will hurt small businesses from passing!

My problem is that, when it comes to an example like "bspears", who do you think will win the contest for the site, if it's between a "celebrity" and a "nobody", do you think, if new rule would come to effect? Overall, I do not want American courts establishing who is a "real" celebrity and who is not. I do not see them having an authority dictating who is more "important", otherwise we'll go back to middle ages as a society.

And you know, I don't have an issue with someone named "Dave" registering a site called ArnoldSchwarznagger.com as a fan site. In fact, I even won't mind that "Dave" registering a domain name containing my first and last name -- IF he does not attempt to impersonate me. If Arnold or myself did not register the domain in the first place, WHY should we have the right to take it?

And here's the final point.... I'm sure all of you have heard of iphone.com, a domain registered in the end of 90's, being sold to Apple as the domain for Apple's newly unveiled "iPhone" for 1 million USD last year. Does it mean that by new provisions someone would need to give up a domain name that he registered BEFORE the name was trademarked to trademark owner that got it LATER? This will give a green light to raiders of all sorts. Let's imagine that someone has a generic domain like "SportsSales.TLD". Does it mean that if tomorrow I will go and register Sports Sales as a company and a trademark I can take over a domain that he held for ages?

My big problem, as I said, is that there's no clear provisions or limits to this bill. It allows for a million of loopholes to be used for "raider" behavior, and 0 ways to defend yourself against it.

 

I have signed the petition.

Please, sign the SNOWeBILL.com PETITION.

Everyone that owns a domain name should sign.

Please do not sign it as "annonymous", it will have more strength if you submit your info. ​

 

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is composed of 23 Senators and led by Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who assumed their positions in January 2007.

Ted Stevens is a CO SPONSOR of the bill. So it is a cat in the bird house. Also, this [...] is the one who rammed the ban on internet gambling down the throat of Americans.

Why don't we all call them tomorrow and put some phone time in. Petitions are great, but an empassioned WELL-THOUGHT-OUT call can do a lot too.

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=About.Home

 

How about we start with a court instead of the FTC (which this bill is suggesting)? Domain disputes already have established legal processes, while still biased towards complainants (they win 85% of the time), you still have the rights to pursue it in court and protect your name.

 

When I last checked the petition nearly 1300 people had already signed it. I think it was started the day before last. It's not as many people as I had hoped, but many people have their collective heads in the sand thinking that it won't effect them. Well, it will.

Also, Sen. Olympia J. Snowes blog about this bill has been hit hard by comments. Some people are saying that their comments are no longer being posted.

 

PETITION SIGNED!

 

There are some great comments on that petition. I'm glad to see the thirst for liberty is still alive.

 

The ICA has come out with a suggested letter you can use as a US constituent to tell your Senator how you feel about this bill.

Here is the link: http://www.internetcommerce.org/OPPOSE_THE_SNOWE_BILL

Please take the time and a mere $0.44 to mail this first class to your Senator. IT REALLY WILL HELP!

 

The petition was stopped two days ago at 1408 signatures. Concerned webmasters have now been sending modified versions of the ICA suggested letter to your Senator/s

Here is the link: http://www.internetcommerce.org/OPPOSE_THE_SNOWE_BILL

I know some of you are apathetic; some are skeptical; and some of you are just ostriches, but I beg you to look more into this issue and vote with your wallet against the coalition that forms the CADNA (cadna dot org) and voice your opposition to your representatives. Please don't wait until this bill is passed and we start seeing the ramifications of inaction.

Thanks,
Tim

 

Don't forget to write your local Senator about this issue... See my sig for link.

 

emailed a couple more senators and bitched at my brother about it...

 

Good to see this here. Anyone know the time tables on this stuff going to a vote. It's still in committee right ?

 

I don't want to sound like chicken little crying that that sky is falling, but hey - check it out - the frickin sky is falling, folks. You'd better wake up and take some action or the livelihoods of some / many of you will be effected by bills like the Snowe Bill SB 2661 and corporate lobbyist groups like CADNA.org. Wake the F up. !apathy

 

Since Ted Stevens is a co sponsor of the anti phishing and consumer protection act, I feel that this blog post is relevant.


http://pooptooth.mobi/why-americans-hate-washingtonsen-ted-stevens-r-ak/