Avoid Godaddy
I've just read yet another report on a forum of Godaddy suspending a domain name for "spam"
The user in question runs an Imageshack style free image host, and it was used to upload images that were then spammed out to users ("buy this stock today", I'm sure we've all seen them). Recipients of this spam complained to Godaddy, and they pulled his domain. He now has two choices, pay $200 and continue to allow them to control his domain, or pay $75 for the privilege of moving it to another registrar.
I'd like to say this was an isolated incident, but it's a pattern I've seen repeated time and time again. If you have domains with Godaddy, the best advice I can give you is to move them now. I would recommend Namecheap as an alternative.
This guy was lucky - his domain was only being used for a hobby project - imagine if he'd been running his full time business on it…
Comment by Paul — May 6, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
Surely he is responsible for images hosted on his servers and therefore GoDaddy are protecting their interests/reputation by not allowing him to host images used by spammers?
Comment by Oli — May 6, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Godaddy aren't hosting anything for him - they're just his domain registrar.
I'm sure that you could easily get a competitors site shut down by reporting them to Godaddy for spamming you enough - how would they check?
Comment by James — May 7, 2007 @ 4:01 am
This is something to take notice of.
At first, there were only rumors of trouble with Registerfly. Now, you are lucky to escape with your domains.
Not that GoDaddy is going down, but perhaps this is a sign of what is to come.
Comment by Dave J — May 7, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
I fear for 123-Reg. They are now part of the Pipex enterprise who have reported earnings down on previous years. Their service (and that of Pipex as an isp) has gone to pot over the last few months and rumour has it that all is not rosy in the camp. The Pipex group is/was up for sale but all interested bidders have dropped out - apparently after examining the finances.
Much of this will be rumour fuelled but "no smoke without fire" as they say. I have over 100 domains there