In 2011, Braden Pollock made an investment in Epik, a domain registrar and platform founded by Rob Monster. With this financial investment came a seat on the Epik Board of Directors, which Braden has held since that time.
During the past couple of years, Epik has come under fire for some decisions and comments made by Rob Monster. In one highly critical HuffPost article, Braden and his wife were mentioned because of Braden’s investment in Epik. During this tumultuous time, Braden retained his position on the Epik board. It looks like something has changed though.
In a tweet this evening, Braden announced that he resigned from the Epik board because he and Rob Monster “don’t share the same ideology:“
Since @robmonster and I don’t share the same ideology it’s time he and I part company. I don’t agree with the direction of @EpikDotCom so I’ve decided to resign my Board seat, effective immediately.
— Braden Pollock (@BradenPollock) June 10, 2020
If I learn any more about Braden’s decision, I will update this article or publish a follow-up article.
My respect for Braden Pollock has just increased tenfold. Epik needs to do a lot of damage control media wise.
I dont care much for Braden.
I find him to be an elitist and highly arrogant….
Yes, he is an elitist. So?
What have you achieved in domaining?
What does that have to do with the fact that Braden is miserable sap?
Stop whining!!
I agree with Braden and support him 100%. I’ve been friends with Braden for over ten years, he’s one of the most kind, generous, and amazing people I know.
Wrong. Braden is a miserable, self absorbed, professional virtue signaling shmuck. But of course someone like yourself to take this opportunity to virtue signal by bragging publicly how good a friend you are.
Fuck off you EPIK imbecile
Your name should be;
NotANEpikCultMember
“imbecile”? I believe the Cliché is
Glass house
Samer
Samer you were born and raised a CUCK i can’t help you
Samer thankfully CULT CUCKS like you have now had the door shut in your face. Go back to EPIK and get on your knees like the little bitch you are. If i see you around here again you know what i’ll do to you
And Fyi All Caps strains the eyes,
takes away from the “message”.
epik for life, feel taken care of
Samer
Once a CUCK always a CUCK
How much do you sell your ass to EPIK for samer?
Morgan I busted you for hypocrisy about nTLDs vs. .com at your own blog, but you suppressed it. I’m possibly one of only a few people you’ve ever even deleted anything from.
You genuinely strike me as an “elitist” and dyed in the wool “neoliberal” partisan yourself, as whoever Chris above put it. That’s my honest impression. Plus one or two other things. I’m usually right, always have been.
“I’m usually right, always have been.”
LOL, you seem very humble as well.
You need to work on your mental and spiritual honesty skills. A person who has always been “usually right” can’t help it when it’s just a fact. This is not a game, as if people don’t know someone like you could come along and play a little game like that.
Yes, people sometimes have many burdens to bear, and while none of us bats 1,000 by any means, one of mine is usually being right. 😉
PS – I just remembered I recently saw you pay “homage” to Obama at your blog. You obviously don’t recognize what a fraud and disaster he was, who harmed and destroyed the country no less than any Republican.
If you care anything at all about truth, however, I recommend you begin with reading the social media posts of CaitlinJohnstone.com, one of the best and most brilliant living “truth tellers” in the world today. I recommend starting with this one: https://www.facebook.com/CaitlinAJohnstone/photos/a.188775657823/10156373375097824.
For bonus points, as you may be able to discern by now, this is not a “conservative right wing Republican” speaking to you. This is a real deal truth teller and truth seeker regardless of party, politics or ideology.
PPS – Including harmed and destroyed for the very issue you wrote about no less, Morgan.
Braden has high integrity, gives freely of his advice and time, and is a true leader of this industry. When he makes a statement like this, you can be assured he seriously deliberated on it. Like Morgan said, I too agree with Braden, support him 100%, and trust his decisions.
I have less to go on with you, but I’m inclined to think I’m probably not out on a shaky limb to guess that you are also a “neoliberal” Democrat with all the biases that implies. And possibly more than that with regard to standard biases.
Otherwise I still like what you did before at your old site. 😉
Yea John, this industry hates us.They moderate us away. They don’t deserve the data. Let them lie to each other. Their whole domaining community is lame now. They’re very wrong, and time will tell.
As you said above, about Morgan suppressing you – it’s everywhere. Morgan does it to me too. Most all these blogs have been completely biased AND complacent, including Mike here. https://lifesavings.online/ctr-matters/ They won’t have an OUNCE of resistance against their narrative. They are a flock of pigeons, the whole of them.
Frank Schilling absolutely screwed some domainers, and they WORSHIP the guy. Unbelievable. He’s one of the PRIME liars, thieves and manipulators in this whole industry! PAYING these tools to write him propaganda. They’ll ban you for speaking out though! That’s how this industry works.
They have absolutely no idea about REAL data. They control this industry though propaganda and emotions and it’s being torn apart. EPIK is just the tip of the iceberg here. They’re going to cannibalize each other.
Just the other day I read one blog, the guy suggested rather than use a .LAW domain, the lawyer just post his services on lawyers.com. A mainstream meat-grinder. HOW SICK? Born of hatred of nTLD, you ‘recommend’, they fully neglect a website! Hypocrites – FAKES – talking from 2 sides of your mouths! Most all of you! .com’r elitists are the biggest blundering fools among us. You have allowed you pet shills run around and parrot these lies. And the repercussions will surface.
They WILL NOT be opposed! They have opinions, and yours are NOT WELCOME. Mike here, included.
Michael, You can have tons money in the bank and still be a terrible, self absorbed, virtue signaling schmuck. In fact that’s more often the norm. People like Braden tend to favor people just like themselves within their social circles, so really most of the comments on this post, including yours, are just nauseating echoes.
Rob is a bit to stubborn at times, big loss for Epik, need a veteran domain guy like that in the ranks, sad to see BP go. Not sure what they would disagree on, but be prepared for backlash on your parking pages by people not wanting to complete purchases if this nazi nonesenese keeps up.
Braden is a typical Indian Chief follower whose principles are guided by the herd. Braden thinks he can see where the herd is going because he has his finger in the air. Monster on the hand is a principled liberty lover who won’t bend the knee. That’s my take.
Exactly. What both Braden and his wife truly care about is publicity, and they never hesitate to take advantage of a situation by telling the world how virtuous they are, under the guise of morality. Braden’s schemes and true belief systems are transparent.
Braden is a good man with solid integrity and a great deal of generosity. He has my support!
Why the public announcemnet by Braden?
He could have done it quietly without attracting worldwide media attention and Twitter adoration.
No class in that act…
I respect the fact that Rob Monster stands up for what he believes is right in his heart and for what he believes is right irregardless of whether those decisions may be politically correct or in line with what today’s media and talking heads believe. I have not followed thoroughly Epiks media backlash but heard some about it, and from what I know of the issue, Monster directs his company in a way that he feels is best for the greater good, whatever it is in his mind that is.I imagine the heat is just not comforting for Pollack. and he is doing what is best for him and his.
It’s Pollock, not Pollack.
And you should educate yourself on what Rob Monster stands for before you say you support him. Go read the politics section of his Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Monster
Then go read his posts on Gab.com, the site that welcomes neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the alt-right.
If that’s what you’re into and support, John, then so be it. This is America and you have the right to hate. But you should clarify where you stand once you get a chance to educate yourself.
The words EDUCATE and WIKIPEDIA should NEVER be used in the same sentence.
The irony, here, is that you’re ALL fighting hate with hate. Good going. Great example to set. Whats next, if Epik had physical offices you’d all recommend it be burned down by the “peaceful” protesters?
OK, every single person who just liked that tweet by POLLOCK is now “out”.
@DB
“And you should educate yourself on what Rob Monster stands for before you say you support him. Go read the politics section of his Wikipedia page.”
Craziest post here. Gave yourself awa( “Wikipedia” bigger farce than Huff. At least time, fabricate Huff hitpiece obscurity. The problem is Huff is Wikipedia’s #1 citation. Even my plea to epik Wiki discussion page deleted and was ip banned. I didnt change anything epik Wiki page!! Called out editor “assigned” to article explicit bias, asked for more neutral view Wiki opening paragraph makes epik & Rob look like a “neo-nazi.”!!
Anyone who knows Epik, Rob knows; hires people of all color, ethnicity, backgrounds. It makes me sad when people regurgitate outdated Huff hit-piece further their agenda
Samer
It would be wise, imho, that Rob separate his personal views from the corporate image, message, or views. Although that may still have the same end result being that he is the face of the company.
It’s more essential now than ever to stand up for what one believes in. I have the utmost respect for Braden’s integrity and support him 100%.
Brandon’s wife Lisa Bloom said she thinks Biden raped that lady and but would still vote for him. She also represented Harvey Weinstein. If the left can link spouses in the name of cultural purity so can I. Ergo, Brandon is a morally bankrupt liberal.
How can one support anyone without knowing the details?
Apparently, it wasn’t due to all the gab-like stuff, as he had plenty of time to take action for that and similar. And if he stayed during those times, does it mean he shared the ideology then?
And also, is he just stepping down from the board or also divesting his shares in the company?
No idea who these people are , just a bunch of white guys jockeying for power,greed and control. Just like the Roeser and Booth, fighting for punny domains.
Domainers lives Matter
Domainers lives Matter
Domainers Lives Matter
On my bright side, I sold a hand reg $3.99 domain,3mths old for $69.
Repeat, repeat, repeat a billion times. Cheap thrills.
Hashtags…Tiger King, Weistein, Prince Andrew,Epic, ….
NGTLD Domainers Lives Matter!!!
That Huff Post piece beneath you, Elliot.
liberal rag, 100% false hit piece even back then
Now, even more-so, nice you revive it,
Philosophical differences seems unfair. Huff Post out of line.they went after wife, kids, family, business partners. Went after his family.
i disagree with representation of Rob in article;
Rob proved how he act past year, this is bulls*it.
Proud Epik client since 2017 couldnt be happier! Wish i found them sooner! Seen nothing yet!
Samer
Samer – How much do you get paid by Rob? The article is accurate. Not 100% false. Post what is inaccurate.
All samer is known for is kissing robs Ass! One of his best cult followers blind as a bat!
What part of the “false hit piece” is false?
Agree – this is pure hate from their end. Ironically, they tell you not to hate though.
“Proud Epik client since 2017” SamerTheAssKisser you never cease to amaze. Suprised you can take time out from blowing rob off to speak
Epik.com removed from the joshdotco Podcast Brilliant, the sooner we get this cult of losers out the better
Good riddens SamerTheAssKisser
Robert Monster is among the most innovative people in the industry and has a clear vision on many things. I wish him only success and prosperity.
100% respect for Braden. one nice guys ion the industry.
If this is over personal/ideological differences, there is no need for picking sides. Not every story needs a good guy and a bad guy.
With people like that there is, sadly.
I am curious, what have these 20 commenters achieved in the domaining business? You guys are taking non sense over trivial matters.
Get a life!
Rob and Braden are multi millionaires.
I tip my hat.
Finally!
Great confusion between ad persona and ad rem when the main challenge is per aspera ad astra. Who is continuing to expand the boundaries sometimes touches a sensitive thin line. Diligence will follow. I’m a happy Epik customer and respect both, Rob and Braden.
Has there has been anything nefarious posted by Rob or Epik in the past 2 weeks or so? Disregard his complaints with Wikipedia, the liberal rag, that if it were made of paper would not be good enough to wrap fish in. He’s RIGHT in complaining about lies about his reputation but I digress.
My question is, why now and my statement is – thanks for driving a massive wedge into the domain investing community. You had YEARS (according to all the whiners) to remove yourself from Rob/Epik, Mr Pollock. You decided to do this now, why? We know why. Its very clear.
Hate works both ways and knows no boundary of color, creed, sexual orientation….. Your true colors are blinding right now.
Domaining.com has became a spam outlet.
Who knew Kevin Murphy and I would ever agree on anything? So much past unpleasantness with he and I, and yet here he is being a voice of reason:
https://twitter.com/DomainIncite/status/1270664291004358657
“Given everything that’s going on in the world right now, perhaps it would be wise to be a little more specific, lest people jump to conclusions about the nature of your disagreement.”
This kind of “announcement” should never have been made without details and facts subject to challenge and rebuttal. That’s not good at all.
Yea but this came out on twitter…I hate those sequential, numbered tweets. The short bit is what twitter is good for. I don’t even know him at all. That said, I don’t think he mismanaged anything doing it the way he did…It probably took more effort for him to restrain rather than rant. I’m sure there are more than a few people who know all the details anyways. On the grounds of this being some kind of huge announcement, I’m more reserved. All I know is that I could hardly stand 1 week of EPIK. I rather wonder not why he did, but what took him so long?
“John”, it’s “true” I really do “love” you.
I don’t blame you. It’s hard not to.
I could not make it through the character-assassination Huff Post article, it was making me nauseous. Personally I applaud anyone who supports freedom of speech – including the right to express hatred, no matter how irrational. A line does have to be drawn with regard to some speech, i.e. advocating violence and libel – and I don’t know if Rob has drawn the line where I would – but in general I agree with the previous commenters who have pointed out that hatred of hatred is just more hate.
I’m also reminded of the famous quote, “Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” (I could do better but busy right now:)
Interesting, is that what part of the “ideology” disagreement is over, free speech vs. censorship? I recently posted this equal opportunity expression on social media. It also helps educate people about the difference between what is glibly referred to as the “left” vs. the real left, whom the “left” hates and opposes even more than they do the so-called right.
“The idiot liberal fascist fake left, and their love of censorship…(not to be confused with the idiot conservative fascist right)…”
https://youtu.be/i1bHY5ziq4o
I’m not sure Braden has stated what he disagrees with but my impression is that many people in the domain industry don’t like Rob interfering with the boycott of far-right groups, either because they agree with the boycott or just don’t want the industry criticized as Rob.
Thanks for sharing that Chris Hedges interview, which I watched twice. My only comment is that I think you have to draw a distinction between government censorship, which is the peoples’ responsibility to regulate, and private parties censoring whatever they choose to censor on their own property (however linked the private parties may be to the government). That the Net giants are presenting a distorted picture and influencing elections is no different from what major media outlets have been doing for centuries. That’s why I think what Rob has done, in opposing the boycott, is important for society, to keep the promise of the Internet as a great medium for free speech alive. Instead of trying to force the Net giants to abandon censorship (which I believe is Caitlin Johnstone’s position) I think people who believe in reasonable free speech just need to organize and create social media platforms which support it.
And with regard to regulating government censorship and activity in general we need to demand more democracy, imo, which is why I think the voting system issue I discuss at MEVoting.com is very important. (See if you can figure out the mistake I made in the way I presented the ME voting system:)
PS – May check out that mevoting.com when I get a chance.
I think you strangely go astray here:
“I think you have to draw a distinction between government censorship, which is the peoples’ responsibility to regulate, and private parties censoring whatever they choose to censor on their own property (however linked the private parties may be to the government).”
Most especially the part about “however linked the private parties may be to the government.”
The “Net giants” are social media monopolies, and are effectively engaging in *government censorship* in league with and at the behest of government(s) or elements of government, and not just our own American government. The “private companies, can do what they want” idea that has often been put forth is a way of government itself circumventing and nullifying the First Amendment when you are talking about monopolies.
Furthermore, if they are going to act as publishers, picking winners and losers, then Trump was right to remove their special protection and immunity from liability for doing that. I only hope he’s going far enough with that. This is a good video about that by another one of the best and most valuable truth tellers in the world today, Jimmy Dore:
“Twitter Bogusly “Fact Checks” Trump So He Repeals Their Legal Protections”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDEHpvwcekQ
And for anyone else, this is what a real “truth seeker” does. I can say “Trump was right” without necessarily being a Trump supporter, and I can call someone one of the best truth tellers in the world today who happens to be a real “progressive” on the “real left” who exposes the “fake left” and Democratic party establishment for being the diabolically evil monstrosity that it is (and make no mistake, so is the “right”) while being anything but a Trump supporter or Republican himself. Truth regardless of party, leaning, or ideology – give it a try.
I’d respond but I’m afraid we’ve already strayed too far from the subject of Elliot’s post. Elliot is very tolerant of free speech here – he even let someone give me the finger, emoji-wise, without censoring or saying a word:)
I’m confident Elliot doesn’t mind, and he’s not shy about letting people know when something does. It’s still on topic because ultimately it relates squarely to why BP did what he did (or didn’t), as well as the related big picture truths. And moreover, just as some things make good TV – this only “makes good blog” to boot. Win-win.
Just came across this. Extremely disturbing. And I’m a patriotic citizen who even used to work one floor from the FBI for a time.
“FBI launches open attack on ‘foreign’ alternative media outlets challenging US foreign policy”
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/06/05/the-fbi-launches-open-attack-on-foreign-alternative-media-outlets-challenging-u-s-foreign-policy/
“Under FBI orders, Facebook and Google removed American Herald Tribune, an alternative site that publishes US and European writers critical of US foreign policy. The bureau’s justification for the removal was dubious, and it sets a troubling precedent for other critical outlets.”
The ideology is very apparent from the posts on NamePros, Twitter, and other places. If you believe in free speech then you should accept the separation from the Board of Epik and statement of disagreement as expression of free speech and move on. I don’t understand the backlash of attacks on B. Pollock’s character here. If that is you, then you don’t really believe in free speech.
Free speech doesn’t make your speech immune to criticism. For example, I consider it very bad for Pollock to do what he did without at least giving rebuttable details. I do not question his right to do it. Nor would I do or want others to do what the neoliberal “fake left” on the blue side of the aisle loves to do, which is try to drive him out of business and practically erase his life from the face of the earth merely for saying what he said or believing what he believes.
Sure. You can rebuttal the comments or statement but attacking a person’s character is different. That is taking a very low blow.
You are speaking nonsense. People are judged by their actions and words. It is not robots who are making comments. Come on now, this is obvious.
I don’t understand how you don’t see that name options is confusingly similar to media options. If that is you, you don’t really believe in domain names.
What does your comment even mean? We are not remotely associated with media options.
Prove it !!!!
The Epik.com Cult has caused many long term namepros members to leave and has basically killed the forum.
We need a new Domain Forum without Epik.com and their cult like followers like Samer
Pains me to say Namepros is in the process of burning to the ground. The Epik.com cult can have it, Wasteland
Epik cult members are all over the forums and blog comments… they’re like parasites causing toxicity everywhere they go. Good decision for Braden!
The NP thread is very clarifying, especially with Rob’s post near the end.
“The rising tide of polarity is a false construct.”
Indeed, one of my favorite “truth tellers” was even just recently speaking of how the mainstream media teaches people to hate each other – and makes a huge amount of money off of it.
There are many “false polarities,” but the biggest in the USA is the false “left/right paradigm” (note: in this context “left” really refers to “fake left”).
The strategy is “deceive, distract, and divide.” The apparent disagreements, including culture wars and identity politics issues, are merely cosmetic and only what are deemed allowable conflicts to both sides. Practically speaking, there is only one party, not two. The “fake left” and the “right” are completely in bed together and completely on the same page about what they really care about – and they both serve and are “bought and paid for” by the same “donor class” to bring it about.
The problem with Rob/Epik is that his rhetoric is divisive to the domaining community as can be seen in the comments to this post. That should be left out of the industry. It only fuels the negative media reports.
You are speaking nonsense here too. And everything I said went right by you, but that’s okay I guess. I would add a “facepalm” emoji if I could. This is the real world, not a fantasy world in which a specific industry can have or should have perfect harmony or agreement about any and every topic under the Sun, or no strong disagreements. There was major heavy conflict between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs – I guess one of them should have bowed out? You saying Rob’s “rhetoric is divisive” is itself rhetoric. The country and the industry would be far worse off if there hadn’t been someone like Rob and Epik to protect free speech and due process. Even Jimmy Dore himself, whom I mentioned above, vehemently opposed the deplatforming and suppression of Alex Jones, for example. If you know anything at all about Jimmy Dore (go find out), you know how significant that is. They are like oil and water, ice and lava. Aside from their differing politics and ideology, Dore is even famous for spitting water on Alex Jones no less. I’ll give you some “rhetoric” of my own: I’m no lover of Alex Jones, in fact I had some harsh criticism of him myself, but the censorship imposed on him was as un-American, anti-American, and dangerous as it gets. And even though I haven’t seen one of his videos or visited his site for literally years, I’m real glad his infowars.com is preserved at Epik. So no, the problem is that you have a bunch of people in the industry who are misguided, biased, bigoted, unmindful of what’s really important, and so forth. And they are the ones “fueling” this or that.
Samer! the brown master, take your nose out from the other mans ass from Christ sakes!
You filthy animal!
No CUCK policy here pal!
I’m moving my names out of Epik as we speak. No smoke without fire. I won’t pay EPIK another dollar for the rest of my life. I can only turn a blind eye to this for so long
Harassment to brandens wife.
Harassment comments to Shane
Harassment comments to Mike
I can not and will not support a group of racists. Sorry folks, i vote with my money and you screwed it up for everybody
Chris S with the epik harassment;
https://twitter.com/BradenPollock/status/1271173309183324166?s=20
https://twitter.com/BradenPollock/status/1271256813422252036?s=20
Stay classy,
Samer