RE: [registrars] Interesting Legal Development

["Rob Hall" <rob@momentous.com>]

A copy of the bill can be found at

http://www.ontla.on.ca/documents/Bills/37_Parliament/Session3/b180rep_e.htm

Rob.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-registrars@dnso.org [mailto:owner-registrars@dnso.org]On
Behalf Of Michael D. Palage
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 10:31 AM
To: registrars@dnso.org
Subject: [registrars] Interesting Legal Development


I found this following article (http://shorl.com/bykydajymygu) rather
interesting as it is likely to impact registrars doing business in Canada.
Ontario, the largest province in Canada unanimously approved a new consumer
protection bill (Bill 180).  This Consumer protection bill provides for a
number of interesting provisions. However the two most interesting ones that
I found with respect to potential registrar operations are a seven day
cooling-off period for online transactions and the fact that consumer rights
apply even if a waiver is signed giving them up. So the problem I see
confronting registrars is that during days 6 or 7 a consumer changes his
mind, there is no way for a registrar to cancel the transaction at the
registry level. Although some may argue that this is a cost of doing
business, much like credit card charge backs, I think this is something we
as an industry should monitor closely.

Do any registrars know of any similar national or local laws that provide a
similar cooling-off period? Should this seven day cooling-off period evolve
as a global standard, I think it could potentially be in our best interest
to ask registries to consider extending the registration grace period from 5
to 7 days.

If anyone (Tim, Ross, Rob, Jason, etc.) could obtain a copy of this bill and
make it available to the list I would greatly appreciated it. And if any
Canadian legal types could comment on this bill I would greatly appreciate
it.

Net-Net, I do not think there is anything we need to do at the current time.
But I believe it is important for registrars doing business in a global
marketplace to keep track of various legal developments that may impact
their business operations.

Best regards,

Mike