[At-Large] Network Solutions Sued For Defrauding Millions - ICANN also named in Class Action

[Izumi AIZU]

Interesting article, Sebastian!
What should ALAC's position be? Support this? Or keep distance?

izumi

2008/2/27, Sébastien Bachollet <sebastien.bachollet at isoc.fr>:
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> For your information
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> http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20080225/LAM06125022008-1.html
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> LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Network Solutions has forced millions
> of people to buy Internet domain names from them instead of cheaper
> competitors through a scheme that's netted the firm millions of dollars, a
> federal class action lawsuit filed today by Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP
> states. ICANN, whose policies facilitate the scheme, is also named in the
> suit, filed in U.S. District Court, Central District of California.
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> "Imagine if you asked a car dealer if they had a black convertible and were
> then forced to buy the car from them. Would you get a good deal? Each time
> someone asks Network Solutions about a domain name, the firm creates a
> monopoly for itself, forcing consumers to pay the price they demand," said
> Brian Kabateck, lead counsel in the class action and Kabateck Brown
> Kellner's Managing Partner.
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> Whenever someone searches for the availability of a domain name through
> Network Solutions' website, the company immediately registers the name for
> itself, preventing other companies from selling it and forcing consumers to
> pay Network Solutions' expensive fees.
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> If a consumer were to go to another, cheaper site to register the name, they
> would find the name is "unavailable." Consumers are never informed that
> inquiring as to a name's availability through Network Solutions results in
> the company holding a monopoly on selling that name.
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> This allows Network Solutions to continue charging substantially higher
> prices for domain name registration. Network Solutions charged $34.99 to
> register the name sought by this suit's lead plaintiff. A competitor would
> have charged $9.99.
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> Network Solutions' scheme is made possible by ICANN. ICANN allows companies
> that sell domain names to avoid paying registration fees for names cancelled
> within five days. Thus, Network Solutions can defraud customers at no cost
> to itself.
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> ICANN is aware that Network Solutions is abusing this policy and yet
> continues to facilitate its actions.
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> ICANN is the international organization, headquartered in Marina Del Rey,
> CA, that regulates domain names and other Internet protocols.
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> Kabateck Brown Kellner is one of the nation's foremost consumer law firms.
> Its clients have won more than $750 million against Google, Yahoo!, Farmer's
> Insurance, Eli Lilly and others. As a plaintiff's-only firm, Kabateck Brown
> Kellner is always on the consumers' side.
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> Sébastien Bachollet
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> Président
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> sebastien.bachollet at isoc.fr
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> www.egeni.org
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> www.isoc.fr
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-- 
                        >> Izumi Aizu <<

           Institute for HyperNetwork Society, Oita
           Kumon Center, Tama University, Tokyo
                                  Japan
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