PALM BEACH, FL – According to a recent report that popped up in my LinkedIn feed, the domain name Portugal.com recently sold through SEDO brokerage and domain sales platform. For those wondering, Portugal is a European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. It’s population, according to the World Bank, is over 10 million. Many geographic domain names sell based on their overall popularity as travel destinations and largely on population size which helps in … [Read more...]
Lights Out for Broadway Ticket, GEO Domain Site NewYork.com Over Legal Dispute
NEW YORK, NY – While researching some GEO domain names last night I discovered that NewYork.com has now disappeared. It was a huge site I was quite familiar with as I had some past affiliate dealings with them, but today it appears its gone offline and parked at Godaddy.com. This was initially very hard to believe as last time I visited the site it seemed bustling with traffic and activity similar to its New York City streets in which it ‘virtually’ represented. This … [Read more...]
ICA Lays Ground for Compelling Argument Even the Most Bias of Opinion Cannot Deny
NEW YORK, NY – Two things happened on November 1, 2018, when the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it would renew its Cooperative Agreement with Verisign while removing price caps on fees it charges registries: Verisign’s stock (VRSN) shot up $25 per share in a single day (then levelling off at still a healthy gain), Verisign came out blasting domain industry participants, calling them “Domain Scalpers” near suggesting that … [Read more...]
Shortcut to GDPR Preparation for Sites and Services That Do Not Target EU Users
NEW YORK - As you are probably well aware due to the number of emails you are receiving, by next Friday, May 25th, 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) will go into full effect. You should be preparing to update your Privacy Policy even if your site does not target EU users. I wanted to share what I have learned so far as I prepare to update some of my United States websites. I urge you to seek out your own advice and council on what to do to bring your … [Read more...]
Will Internet Remain Safe Place to Invest and Conduct Business in Years to Come?
NEW YORK – Back in 2016, the ICA, (The Internet Commerce Association) asked me a very important question; they asked what I thought would be some of the biggest challenges the domain industry would face in the coming years. While some might answer that question with suggestions about the difficulties new gTLDs may bring toward branding, or monetization strategies with domain parking from declining CPCs, my answer was likely very - very different than most domainers. This … [Read more...]
Domainers: Emergency Funding Needed in HeidiPowell.com Appeal Process
NEW YORK, NY - If you have been watching and reading within domain name news and commentary circles for the last few months, you’re probably aware of the atrocity taking place where Heidi Powell, a senior city resident of Washington, is VIGEROUSLY fighting to keep rights to her own domain name, registered since 2005, and an exact match of her actual name, “Heidi Powell” HeidiPowell.com. Many domain enthusiasts, including myself, have come to the aid of Mr. and Mrs. Powell by … [Read more...]
Audio Arguments for ‘Calculated Theft’ Attempt of HeidiPowell.com Domain
NEW YORK, NY - For those who are unaware of the backstory behind the failed cyber-squatting attempt by Arizona Heidi in her effort to steal the online identity of the original Heidi Powell, the effort continues via opening of an old bankruptcy case to acquire the domain name HeidiPowell.com. UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT SEATTLE before Honorable Marc Barreca, Chapter 7, Hearing Date: March 22, 2017, Hearing Time: 10:00 a.m. Even if … [Read more...]
Episode 128 of Domain Name Wire Features Internet Commerce Board Member
NEW YORK, NY - This week, listening to the Domain Name Wire podcast (Episode #128), not only will you find out all about what’s happening in the domain space recently, but you’ll also have the opportunity to listen to a board member, Zak Muscovitch, discuss what exactly the Internet Commerce Association is and why it exists. “For the Interest of Domain Name Investors and Domain Name Owners” That’s basically what the ICA is, according to Muscovitch. DNW host Andrew … [Read more...]
Domain Community Can Do “Much Better” to Help Heidi Powell Keep HeidiPowell.com, Raise Awareness
NEW YORK, NY - It’s going to be a sad day for all domainers if and when Mrs. Heidi Powell loses ownership of her domain name “HeidiPowell.com”. Some of you may have read my original article on this topic earlier this month and some of you may not. Some of you may have even helped contribute to Heidi’s GoFundMe campaign to help her fight this nonsense legal battle – but again, some of you may not. Now I don't know exactly how big the domain community is - but it is sure bigger … [Read more...]
Google’s Eric Schmidt and the Government; It’s Like Public Relations, Just Different
NEW YORK, NY - A number of years ago Google's then Chief Executive Officer, Eric Schmidt, began visiting the White House, often. I believe the talks were originally about cyber-security and it was around the time where the failed Obamacare website was falling apart. Also, around the same time there were lots of issues with Google being sued and investigated, issues such as the PRISM spying leaks and all sorts of anti-competitive and privacy lawsuits being launched against … [Read more...]