Domain name was taken down after warning and request to remove content.
The registry that runs the .ME top level domain name has released a statement explaining last month’s takedown of Incels.me.
Incels.me was a forum for “involuntary celibates”, which basically means people who are unable to find a romantic or sexual partner. The term was introduced to the mainstream after the April Toronto van attack that was allegedly undertaken by an incel.
The .ME registry says it was informed in May that “certain members of the online community at incels.me forum might have been involved in or associated with the April 23rd, 2018, Toronto van attack. Ever since, we have closely monitored the content on incels.me forum and determined that it was allowing part of its members to continuously promote violence and hate speech.”
In September the registry asked the registrar for the domain to inform the registrant that they must take down the offending content or face suspension. The content wasn’t removed by the middle of October, hence the suspension that took down the website.
The suspension or deletion of domain names and websites has become a hot topic over the past year. It’s been a debate between free speech and speech that incites violence. The most recent example is Gab.com, which found a new home after GoDaddy punted it in the wake of the Pittsburgh synagogue attack.
It’s worth noting that there are two main entities controlling domain names: the registrar where someone registers the domain and the registry that controls the database of names. GoDaddy is the former. In this case, .ME is the latter. (.ME is the country code domain for Montenegro but has been commercialized for general use.)
The registry for .com (Verisign) has so far avoided getting into content regulation, instead relying on registrars and court orders before making any changes to the .com database. That could change.
Robert Monster says
Dear Andrew,
I don’t always agree with your editorial work. However, on this one, you are 100% spot on to be watching the moves of major industry players as they navigate fundamental issues related to governance, due process, and enforcement related to intellectual property.
As for the Internet Bill of Rights “task force” takes shape, representation from the blogging community should logically be represented. And while your blog has rarely cut me any slack, you actually have my emphatic vote for the simple reason that you have a long track record in demonstrating investigative rigor.
In the meantime, thanks for your vigilance to key trends in our fragile industry at this important time, along with your unabashed willingness to shine a spotlight on topics that matter. This is one of them, even if the case studies of “Incels.me” or “Gab” are not without controversy!
Regards,
Rob
Domain Boss says
I am 100% against hate speech, racism, discrimination, harassment, violence, etc.
But in my opinion no Registrar or Registry should be able to police content on a website. Not only it is infringement of freedom of speech of posters but also hurting the bonafide businesses when registrar or registries take down a domain without due process. Additionally, no website owner can always make sure everything posted is all good and won’t offend anyone unless they have huge capital monitoring content.
They should only act if there is a court order to do so, not on their own.
Where do you draw the line, and how do you determine what is legal/illegal etc without a court order?
Just my 2 cents…
Anonymous says
They don’t need a court order if their own Terms and Conditions have been violated. Freedom of speech only applies to the U.S. government. Private enterprises can act on their own T&Cs if the T&Cs clearly spell out the violating activity. It’s all part of the contracts that a registrant strikes with a registry or registrar when he or she registers a domain name.
Anonymous says
Shouldn’t* ?
Domain Boss says
Yes, Shouldn’t.
Thanks for pointing it out.
John says
Could have been first to comment but waited till at least some others did. In fact, I think I had done the same over at the “coming push for Trusted Notifier programs” thread where Robert rightly asked how it didn’t have 100 comments already. First time I’ve been back to it and seen any activity there.
This is all truly appalling. I could write something long, but don’t feel like doing so now. The implications including for pure and plain corruption aside from the more important bigger picture rights and freedoms involved are enormous, and sad. Glad I don’t have any time and money invested in .me, and I most definitely never will. If I did, however, I’d most certainly be lawyer shopping now unless my Harvard Law friend about to retire from Wall Street wanted to take it since I know what he’s capable of. It’s hard not to say more, but I’ll just add that I wonder if anyone can explain how the likes of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube get a pass for all the “hate speech” and incitement to violence they gladly allow and keep online while selectively censoring and suppressing many others, and by no means doing so completely on their own initiative by any stretch of the imagination. Hint: the truth about what is going on in this country and the rest of the world is as plain as day.
Robert Monster says
Sure, it is plain as day … for those with eyes to see. Yes. I bet you don’t watch much network television and probably haven’t done so in years.
The hour is late for people of the world to master the ability to form their own independent opinions before they are herded into enjoying a controlled narrative that would make Orwell blush.
In the meantime, take care to embrace free speech while it still exists because the ability to find truth about anything is only a function of having the ability to do so in the first place.
These days there is too much contrived divisiveness: black/white, rich/poor, gay/straight, Yankees/Red Sox, left/right, Republican/Democrat. It is all “divide and rule”, folks.
People are breaking out of the controlled digital playgrounds (FB, Twitter, etc,) and finding community. Free speech is messy but it surely beats the alternative.
Thank you to ICANN, registries, registrars for their continuing efforts to enforce Due Process in navigating increasingly heavy-handed requests for arbitrary takedowns!
John says
Indeed!
“Sure, it is plain as day … for those with eyes to see.”
Hmm, good point. So easy to think otherwise.
“I bet you don’t watch much network television and probably haven’t done so in years.”
LOL, yes, that is true.
Wolfgang Möcklin says
How about Facebook.com? Too big to fail?
DNPric.es says
Ironically, there is much more hate content on Facebook, or any other big social media platforms. Yet no one dares to take them down.
Robert Monster says
These folks ended up deciding to make their way to Epik as safe-harbor for lawful use of Free Speech:
https://twitter.com/IncelsIs/status/1067170088275582977
I briefly spoke with one of their co-founders yesterday after seeing their Tweet.
Perhaps of interest, one of the 2 co-founders of the site is a mild-mannered afro-American. They run the site with almost no expense with donations.