[policy] When Tech Meets Policy...

Tue Aug 14 02:40:28 UTC 2007

David Schwartz wrote:
> 
>> That doesn't make anything criminal or fraud any more than free
>> samples.  If a
>> registrar wants to give a refund, I don't see anything wrong with that.
> 
> It is certainly fraud to take an entire pile of free samples.

can you cite how that law reads?

Oddly enough I am in possession of 20+ fee samples that were the left overs from 
a hand out, and I was cleaning up the place.  pretty sure I did not break any 
laws.  I know that isn't what you meant, but it is what you said.  One of the 
tricky parts about law is defining it.  If you can't define it, it is really 
hard to make it illegal.

 > Domain tasting
> is more like buying a plasma TV to watch the big game and then returning it
> to the store on Monday.

Which is also like buying a TV and not being satisfied with it and making use of 
the sores generous return policy.  pretty sure not fraud.

> 
> However, when it's as blatant and obvious as it is now (more tasted domains
> than legitimate registrations), and no policies are made to stop it despite
> it being so easy to do so 

I don't think it is "so easy."

>(simply limit the number of refunded domains to
> 10% of registrations 

I don't know what you mean.

 > or charge a 20 cent fee for refunded domains),
Didn't someone already shoot this down?  something about consumer protection.

> you can
> argue that it's now an understood and accepted practice.

don't have to.

> 
> It's not fraud if both parties know it's going to happen, can easily act to
> stop it, and neither one chooses to.

um, not fraud?