Study Suggestion Number 7

[study-suggestion-response@xxxxxxxxx]

Submitted By:
[Redacted for privacy reasons]

Topic:
The Recoverability of Domains

Hypothesis:
Owners of domains should be given a one to two-year time period to re-establish 
ownership when a third party absconds with their money.

How the hypothesis could be falsified:
I suppose anything could be falsified, but if the creator of a domain has the 
proof, with a receipt, and dated websites showing that they had utilized the 
domain as intended (i.e. Victorian music), that should be hard to refute.  

Utility:
It certainly is no surprise or secret that people steal domain names, then 
cloak their identity.  Providing for the original owners to recover their 
domains would definitely deter domain name theft.  Domain theft is the most 
serious problem you have today, and it will continue until your organization 
does something about it.  

Type of Study Needed:
I don't think it takes much studying to find a way to stop domain name thiefs, 
or finding a way to protect domain owners from unscrupulous providers who 
abscond with their clients' money and cause them to lose their domains.  Do you 
have any earthly idea how many hours it is taking me to go change all the code 
on my web pages from .com to .net?  How long it took me to build my website?  
How long it took me to create all the materials and music for the site?

Data that needs to be collected:
1)  know who created the domain, and the purpose for it;
2)  Get more details, other than just someone signing up for a domain;
3)  Give a domain creator a grace period in which they can redeem it.  Make
    it for a long enough period, in case their domain reseller absconds
    with their money.  



Population to be surveyed:
Survey domain name creators.  (not those who buy up domains with the intention 
of reselling them later for a lot of money).  There is a solution, if you 
really want to do what is right.

Sample Size:
I have no idea.

Type of Analysis:
Read the newspaper and internet -- people have been complaining for at least 
four or five years about domain theft.  I don't think it takes any analysis to 
understand that no one wants their domains stolen.  It isn't just a domain name 
that is stolen --- it is also many, many hours of work that have gone into 
creating a website, and many more to change all the coding, losing your regular 
visitors, etc.  It takes awhile to establish a web presence, so when the domain 
name is lost, that web presence is also lost.  I'm sorry, I cannot be technical 
on this -- right is right and wrong is wrong.  The original creator of a domain 
name should have the right to redeem their domain, and not for just 30-60 days.