Representative Zoe Lofgren Turns to Reddit Users for Domain Seizure Legislation

During the last couple of years, domain name seizures have become a hot topic. Hundreds of domain names have been seized by the US Department of Justice and  US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. You can probably picture the graphic that is displayed on seized domain names.

Whether the domain name was used for copyright infringement or not, I am not in favor of a system that allows a  government  to seize domain names without any opportunity for the owner to defend his or her domain name. A Congresswoman from California turned to Reddit users to crowd source legislation that she hopes will provide due process for domain owners prior to a governmental seizure.

According to a press release from  Representative Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California’s 16th District, the Reddit community’s strong SOPA support led her to this unconventional means of crowdsourcing  legislation. Here’s what Representative Logren envisions for this:

The goal is to develop targeted legislation that requires the government to provide notice and an opportunity for website operators to defend themselves prior to seizing or redirecting their domain names. The focus would be on government domain name seizures based on accusations that a website facilitates copyright infringement and not, for example, accusations of obscenity or libel. Feedback and input should also take into account any legitimate concerns that notice or delay might reasonably lead to destruction of evidence, threats to the physical safety of an individual, or other unintended negative consequences.

If you have suggestions for this, you are welcome to participate in the Reddit thread.
Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

3 COMMENTS

  1. They took one of mine, put their placeholder on the page, and then let it drop and then let someone else have it.

    Pissed me off. It was a valuable domain.

  2. This is really no surprise .. I am not into downloading music or movies,Promotion of gambling,drugs or porn, I have no opinion on the issue.I do however have an opinion on a government agency supposedly acting in the peoples interest stomping on individual rights and freedoms,I don’t respect the process or the legislation . It is a matter for a copyright court system or wipo to oversee infringement on these matters.Not the United States or any other Government . They have no Right seizing Domains at will.

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