Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Co.Cc Engaging In Unreasonable Domain Blocking

It seems raising your voice against people in power has negative effects? These range from Internet censorship to blocking of websites. As many of our readers are aware we have been maintaining a website named Cjnews that has been providing techno-legal news, views, opinions, articles, etc.

We chose a free domain name provided by Co.Cc in the hope that this company would stand by its reputation and commitment. However, to our surprise, on 5th July 2010 our site was suddenly off the web. We analysed and found that there was a server side error that prevented it from appearing.

Realising immediately that it may be a blocking of website, we contacted both our domain name provider and hosting company. Our web hosting provider was kind enough to explain that there is no problem from their side as all the configurations and settings are proper.

On further investigation we found that it is the Co.Cc that has blocked access to this website. We contacted them and after one day we got the reply that the domain has been suspended because Co.Cc thought it has some “possibilities” to become a phishing / spam / illegal site. For this reason they have blocked our domain and we cannot use it anymore. In addition we can also not change the settings for domain.

If this is the attitude of Co.Cc, we recommend that none should register a free domain with them. Firstly, they never intimated us about any objectionable contents and just simply blocked the domain. They have also not intimated how they think our site could become a phishing / spam / illegal site. The worst part is that they think it “could” be an illegal site without any reason or explanation. Too much for the cost of a free domain from a site named Co.Cc.

Our site is a part of Google news source and it frequently appears at Google news and many other places. This arbitrary, unreasonable and subjective decision of Co.Cc is simply unethical and unprofessional.

We request the Co.Cc to remove this unreasonable restriction upon our right to free speech and expression unless they do not believe in it and the very professional standards they portray.

For others, we wish to say that nothing like this can, and would, prevent us from raising our voices against evil acts or omissions of others, including governmental authorities and agencies.

SOURCE: CIO