
GoDaddy's SOPA Support Sparks Calls for Boycotts and Domain Transfers - johnpaultitlow
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/godaddys_sopa_support_sparks_calls_for_boycotts_an.php#.TvN-BveSE0E.hackernews
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gambler
I'm bemused as to why it took this long for people to realize what kind of
company GoDaddy is. They actively supported censorship for quite a while.
Heck, simply looking at any of their ads or their website should draw a good
picture of what kind of people run the show there. Besides, they are
disproportionately big. The is nothing in what they do to warrant the size
(and thus influence) they have.

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brandnewlow
What's the best way to see what my local rep has said about SOPA?

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aaronbrethorst
Call them. <http://whoismyrepresentative.com>

edit: I'm 99% sure that my congressman, Jim McDermott, is opposed to SOPA, but
I just called his office to make absolutely sure. It only took me a minute.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call your congressperson.

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hkmurakami
Thanks for the link. I found that the congresswoman representing me is Anna
Eshoo (D), who was part of the 11 member bipartisan group speaking out against
SOPA last month [1]

While this means that I don't have to call her office to "change her
position", I will still call to thank her / her office for being a vocal
opponent of SOPA.

edit: Also, thanks to the HN users who have posted in other threads asking
others to call the offices just to voice their support for their
representatives, even if the congressman/congresswoman is already against
SOPA. Without their words, I wouldn't be calling my representative today to
say thanks.

[1]
[http://eshoo.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view...](http://eshoo.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1107:eshoo-
house-members-blast-qstop-online-piracy-actq-urge-judiciary-committee-to-
target-actual-rogue-internet-sites-&catid=51:2011-press-releases)

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prudhvis
Accorting to <http://latersgd.com/> there are about 93,000 domains transfered
from GoDaddy to other registrars. Boycotts and Transfers seem to be catching
up. For instance a few hours ago there were about 18,000 domains transfered
off GoDaddy

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codesuela
I've just realized that this is a great way for us non-US citizens to show
that we care about SOPA too. I have just a single domain with GoDaddy which I
got through an auction (who in their right mind chooses GoDaddy as registrar
anyway?). It's not much but better then nothing I guess.

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bradleyland
This is a company that runs Super Bowl advertisements. Your mom's uncle's,
half-brother's, cousin uses them to register domains, and she's never heard of
ReadWriteWeb, HackerNews, or Reddit.

Not trying to be Debbie Downer here, but effort is a finite resource, and it
seems to me that the anti-GoDaddy folks just hooked their cart up to the anti-
SOPA horse. I don't have any domains with GoDaddy because they suck. I'd
venture that anyone who is capable enough to move their domains on their own
has already moved away from GoDaddy. Anyone not capable would have to pay
someone else to do it for them. That's the fight the GoDaddy boycott folks are
picking.

And so the question must be asked, will this effort have a good return on
investment? Will GoDaddy be swayed? If they are, what will the impact be?

When I ask myself these questions, I come away with the impression that
GoDaddy is the last thing anyone should be focused on. Congressmen need to
feel the pressure from their constituents. Talk to your friends, and don't
couch your language with domain registrar topics. It'll get you nowhere fast.

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bradleyland
I don't disagree with all of the points made in the responses, but GoDaddy has
50 million domains registered. Fifty million! To hit them with 1%, that would
require the loss of a half-million domains.

Going after them is, in effect, going after your representative through a
proxy. A big, giant, 500 lb gorilla proxy. Keep in mind that GoDaddy is same
company whose CEO responded with "I'm not sorry" to the outrage over his
elephant hunting incident [1]. I think it'd take more than a half-million lost
domains for them to change stance here.

I'll eat my words if this boycott results in any actual effect on GoDaddy's
stance, but this is such a long shot that it seems irrational to even pursue.
Sun Tzu would not approve of this tactic.

At any rate, I strongly encourage everyone I know to move away from GoDaddy,
just because of their business practices. This won't change that. If you have
domains on GoDaddy, move them. Please. They're a horrible company with
horrible practices, and a horrible product.

1 - [http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/04/04/godaddy-ceo-
on-s...](http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/04/04/godaddy-ceo-on-shooting-
an-elephant-im-not-sorry/)

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pangram
You may be right on the absolute numbers. However, a) the HN readers that are
most inclined to move from GoDaddy probably have control over more domains
than the average person (either personal or via their responsibilities for
their company), so the effect may be larger than you think, and b) if people
send e-mail telling GoDaddy why they're moving (either oop@godaddy.com
("Office of the President") or suggestions@godaddy.com) then it may also have
more impact than the raw numbers would indicate.

At any rate, even if it doesn't change GoDaddy's behavior, at least some
number of people will have taken the effort to move away from a company with
questionable ethics.

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arriu
I am not using GoDaddy again and will encourage my friends and family to stay
away as well.

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DilipJ
it's weird that it's because of SOPA that people want to transfer away from
GoDaddy. Their incredibly misogynistic ads should have been enough...

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fiblye
Most people aren't easily offended. Also, I don't think a woman voluntarily
choosing to be paid for being in an ad qualifies as misogyny, unless the women
are self-loathing.

Godaddy's objectification of women isn't unique in the industry or world as a
whole, and there are many other reasons to hate Godaddy.

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holychiz
i wish my domains were still w/ GoDaddy just so i can transfer them out to
protest. Arvixe hosting provides better services and didn't have to objectify
women to advertise.

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slyspyderspy07
Transfer complete.

