[NA-Discuss] DEMS URGE REGISTRARS TO CRACK DOWN ON COVID SCAMS

[Joly MacFie]

(Politico Morning Tech
<https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-tech/2020/04/14/googles-month-fighting-covid-19-786845>
)

*FIRST IN MT:* *DEMS URGE REGISTRARS TO CRACK DOWN ON COVID SCAMS — *A
group of Senate Democrats is calling on domain name gatekeepers to do more
to combat phishing scams and online misinformation about the coronavirus
outbreak. "As people the world over turn increasingly to the Internet for
information about the coronavirus and use online applications to work,
learn, and keep in contact with friends and family, it is imperative that
domain name registrars not turn a blind eye to such illicit activity but,
rather, act to protect the Internet-using public," Sens. Mazie Hirono
<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1141b967f4fcaf3d635a692b7453c01c6757d378d5704fed2575e35ce1ca8f66c0266f455fb3ef5e6f8eb74df1f2508>
 (Hawaii), Cory Booker
<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1141b967f4fcaf38d9c8d55dc0bec6d8f0de478de0418c9233143a7835a59941f55989fa42583b4f07bbedce39c5fae>
(N.J.)
and Maggie Hassan
<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1141b967f4fcaf32fe7487b4928550d5b7b87e13604c0a27539d81965ddc8d60d5c1fd20be4c477d8135d1ab3b8f2ed>
(N.H.)
wrote in letters to eight registrars and hosting sites, including GoDaddy
and Namecheap.

*— The lawmakers are calling on the sites to spell out by April 20 *what
steps they take to vet applicants seeking to register for domain names and
what punishments they dole out for those doing so for unlawful purposes
related to the virus. They also asked the companies to disclose whether
they are cooperating with authorities regarding suspected illegal activity.
Alvaro Alvarez, general counsel for domain company Donuts Inc., told MT
it's reviewing the letter, but noted it's "had low case volume for
coronavirus-related complaints." Other firms either did not offer or were
not immediately available for comment late Monday.

-- 
--------------------------------------
Joly MacFie  +2185659365
--------------------------------------
-
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/na-discuss/attachments/20200414/a1a07347/attachment.html>