Changes

==SOPA==

==SOPA==

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, 2011. The reasons cited for their support were interests in 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, 2011. The reasons cited for their support were interests in 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 discounted 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> After two weeks, when more solid figures were available, it was noted via the pay-site RegistrarStats.com that GoDaddy had seen 100,000 domains transferred away from its system; however, in that same time frame 117,000 domains were transferred to GoDaddy; therefore, the boycott did not see the registrar take a net loss to its hosting numbers.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/06/2-weeks-of-sopa-the-actual-godaddy-numbers-100k-domains-transferred-out-117k-domains-transferred-in/ 2 Weeks of SOPA The Actual GoDaddy Numbers 100k Domains Transferred out 117k Transferred in, 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 discounted 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> After two weeks, when more solid figures were available, it was noted via the pay-site RegistrarStats.com that GoDaddy had seen 100,000 domains transferred away from its system; however, in that same time frame 117,000 domains were transferred to GoDaddy; therefore, the boycott did not see the registrar take a net loss to its hosting numbers.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/06/2-weeks-of-sopa-the-actual-godaddy-numbers-100k-domains-transferred-out-117k-domains-transferred-in/ 2 Weeks of SOPA The Actual GoDaddy Numbers 100k Domains Transferred out 117k Transferred in, TheDomains.com]</ref>