ICANN Moves Against GoDaddy Domain Lockdowns

[IPB Corporation]

ICANN is finally taking action against Domain Registrar GoDaddy's
controversial 'lockdowns'. GoDaddy has long had a policy of 'locking
down' domain names for 60 days after a customer updated their contact
details. This put customers in a Catch 22 position: ICANN requires
customers keep their contact details up to date, or risk having the
domain forfeited. Yet during the lockdown period the customer is
prevented from transferring the domain from GoDaddy to another
registrar. If the lockdown ran over the domain's expiry date,
customers were forced to renew with GoDaddy or lose the domain. ICANN
proposes to ban this practice. ICANN who is charged with overseeing
the Internet has long been accused of giving domain registrars a free
ride. But recently after ICANN failed to discipline Network Solutions
over a front-running scam, they found themselves both on the wrong end
of a lawsuit by lawyers Kabateck Brown Kellner. Is ICANN's action a
signal of increased vigilance in policing registrars, or is it a PR
move