General
How Ridiculous is This?
Jul
Imagine this hypothetical scenario: You purchased an investment property a decade ago for $500,000. Over the years, you’ve rented it out, generating a steady income. Fast forward to today where the market value is over $1,000,000, and suddenly, someone demands you sell it to them for the original price you paid (or a figure that is way under market), threatening to file a complaint with a regulatory body if you refuse. And that same regulatory body has the power to strip you of that property if they don’t think you are using it “properly”. How absurd does that sound?
Welcome to the world of domain name investment in Australia. Many Aussie domains are worth as much as an investment property – and in some recent cases, much, much more.
Now before anyone panics, let me assure you that if you as a domain registrant have followed all the many rules of auDA (Australia’s domain name regulator), then you should not lose your domain name or names.
And if you have innocently transgressed in any way, then the auDA of today does allow you time to rectify any of these breaches, and get your house back in order. The Compliance Team at auDA is to be absolutely complimented on their approach.
Here’s what makes many people mad as hell
❌ These “complaints” can be made anonymously (i.e. with a fake name and a throwaway email address).
❌ There is no nominal application fee – yes, it is free for someone who covets your domain name to make an anonymous complaint.
❌ The current licensing rules aren’t easy for the average person on the street, so complying is not as easy as it sounds.
❌ It takes time and effort for a registrant to respond properly, and it causes a lot of worry and stress.
Conclusion
Things need to change in Australia.
The largest domain name extension in the world (.com) doesn’t have these rules. They still allow people or businesses who believe they have been wronged to make an expeditious complaint, and if successful, they can get the domain transferred to themselves. This process is known as a UDRP (Uniform Dispute Resolution Procedure), and applicants pay a prescribed, nominal fee, and they are not anonymous.
We have a similar process in Australia – it is known as an auDRP.
But hey, if you can make a free anonymous complaint and cause cost, disruption and worry to others, then that seems an obvious path for many. That’s what needs to change.
P.S. Note to anonymous complainants – even if you are successful with your auDA complaint, you do not get the domain. It gets deleted, and goes to the expired auctions (where other parties may buy it)!
