RE: InterNIC No Longer Reveals Contact Info

From: Fred Showker <DTGNews_at_aol.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 09:37:43 -0500 (CDT)

Greetings...
I'm usually a lurker here, but thought I would post to this
one.

Several people have mentioned the "new" Network Solutions
way of doing things -- yup, somewhat different from the
past.

I don't know about you, but I know a whole list of people
very upset about the turn of events with the InterNIC.

Several people have commented in our discussion list
(WebDesign & Review) that NetworkSolutions' plan is not
unselfish. The plan is to prevent others from using the
whois info to spam so they can charge you for it.

We've been getting reports from a number of providers (ISPs)
that the NIC is now using their list for spam, and that they
are selling the list to other spammers.

A number of our clients, as well as those of other ISPs have
gotten charge card and long distance (or MLM) spam listing
us as the reference!!! (Snail Mail spam!)

We decided to test this suspicion and registered some names
using a special ID and address info not used anyplace else
online or not. Sure'nuff, within hours we got spam addressed
to the special names listed in the new registration.
Couldn't have come from anyplace else. Then, to our
surprise, we got fax, telephone and email marketers lapping
after that new 'client'... so it's not just for the purpose
of email spam.

It's very upsetting to see what was once a public utility,
in the trust of the consumer, now turning commercial in a
big way, and turning into what could become the ultimate
spammer.

Fred Showker
Editor/Publisher: DT&G Magazine, WebDesign & Review
========================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------
        This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsors:
                  Flycast, Streammedia, and TeknoSurf
    
WEB ADVERTISING THAT MAKES YOU A HERO. Our Web experts optimize your
buy across 922 sites. All for less than what you'd normally pay for
placement on one. Call it superhuman. http://WWW.FLYCAST.COM/OA

                                ---

    Sure, you can continue to rub two sticks together.But that's
      not gonna make the Advertising Gods real happy. Check out
    http://www.radicalmail.com for advertising that really works

                                ---

TeknoSurf, the Internet's largest Interactive Direct Marketing company,
   offers opportunities for advertisers and web publishers to conduct
business and generate revenues via the Internet. http://www.teknosurf.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
========================================================================


Received on Fri Jun 25 1999 - 12:09:21 CDT