Changes

Unlike many major Internet companies,<ref>[http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/12/godaddy-faces-december-29-boycott-over-sopa-support.ars GoDaddy Faces boycott over SOPA support, http://arstechnica.com/]</ref> GoDaddy came out in support of [[SOPA]] in late October. The reasons for their support were cited as protecting American businesses from being robbed and American consumers from being harmed by counterfeit products. The company stated that it was trying hard to help SOPA become an acceptable form of legislature for all those involved.<ref>[http://support.godaddy.com/godaddy/go-daddys-position-on-sopa/ Go Daddy’s Position on SOPA]</ref> This move came as a surprise, as GoDaddy, just like any other domain name registrar, could potentially have a major liability under the bill, as the responsibility for [[cybersquatting]] could be shifted from the [[registrant]] to the registrar.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/12/22/red-hot-on-reddit-com-move-your-domain-away-from-godaddy-day-based-off-of-support-of-sopa/ Red Hot on Reddit.com: “Move Your Domain Away From Godaddy Day” Based Off Of Support Of SOPA, thedomains.com]</ref>

Unlike many major Internet companies,<ref>[http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/12/godaddy-faces-december-29-boycott-over-sopa-support.ars GoDaddy Faces boycott over SOPA support, http://arstechnica.com/]</ref> GoDaddy came out in support of [[SOPA]] in late October. The reasons for their support were cited as protecting American businesses from being robbed and American consumers from being harmed by counterfeit products. The company stated that it was trying hard to help SOPA become an acceptable form of legislature for all those involved.<ref>[http://support.godaddy.com/godaddy/go-daddys-position-on-sopa/ Go Daddy’s Position on SOPA]</ref> This move came as a surprise, as GoDaddy, just like any other domain name registrar, could potentially have a major liability under the bill, as the responsibility for [[cybersquatting]] could be shifted from the [[registrant]] to the registrar.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/12/22/red-hot-on-reddit-com-move-your-domain-away-from-godaddy-day-based-off-of-support-of-sopa/ Red Hot on Reddit.com: “Move Your Domain Away From Godaddy Day” Based Off Of Support Of SOPA, thedomains.com]</ref>

By the end of December, significant media and Internet user attention was being paid to GoDaddy's SOPA support; users of the webforum Reddit.com began a protest against GoDaddy, urging those hosting their domain names with the company to transfer their domains to another service. The original poster suggested that December 29th be made "Move Your Domain Day," and in response many of GoDaddy's competitors began offering discount rates to those wanting to transfer.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/nmnie/godaddy_supports_sopa_im_transferring_51_domains/ GoDaddy supports SOPA, I'm transferring 51 domains & suggesting a move your domain day, reddit.com]</ref> Reddit users began contacting larger corporations hosting with GoDaddy, such as the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], urging them to transfer their domains from GoDaddy as well.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/nnuwt/til_wikipediaorg_is_registered_at_sopa_supporter/ TIL Wikipedia.org is registered at SOPA supporter GoDaddy, reddit.com]</ref> On December 23, GoDaddy released a press release stating that it no longer supported SOPA, stating that it will support it in the future when and if the Internet community supports it.<ref>[http://www.godaddy.com/newscenter/release-view.aspx?news_item_id=378&isc=smtwsup Go Daddy No Longer Supports SOPA, godaddy.com]</ref>

By the end of December, significant media and Internet user attention was being paid to GoDaddy's SOPA support; users of the webforum Reddit.com began a protest against GoDaddy, urging those hosting their domain names with the company to transfer their domains to another service. The original poster suggested that December 29th be made "Move Your Domain Day," and in response many of GoDaddy's competitors began offering discount rates to those wanting to transfer.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/nmnie/godaddy_supports_sopa_im_transferring_51_domains/ GoDaddy supports SOPA, I'm transferring 51 domains & suggesting a move your domain day, reddit.com]</ref> Reddit users began contacting larger corporations hosting with GoDaddy, such as the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], urging them to transfer their domains from GoDaddy as well.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/nnuwt/til_wikipediaorg_is_registered_at_sopa_supporter/ TIL Wikipedia.org is registered at SOPA supporter GoDaddy, reddit.com]</ref> On December 23, GoDaddy released a press release stating that it no longer supported SOPA, stating that it will support it in the future when and if the Internet community supports it.<ref>[http://www.godaddy.com/newscenter/release-view.aspx?news_item_id=378&isc=smtwsup Go Daddy No Longer Supports SOPA, godaddy.com]</ref> In the first week of protesting, GoDaddy lost approximately 72,300 domains due to their support of SOPA.<ref>[http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/12/24/go-daddy-lost-21054-domains-yesterday-in-wake-of-sopa-pr-disaster/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=share%2Bbutton&utm_campaign=social%2Bmedia GoDaddy lost 21,054 domains yesterday due to their support of SOPA, thenextweb.com]</ref>

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==References==