Re: [registrars] Amber Alert and Adult Domains

[Mike Lampson <lampson@iaregistry.com>]

FYI: Here's text from the EduPage Newsletter and a link to a Washington Post
article.

-Mike

BUSH SIGNS TOUGH INTERNET PORN LAW
President Bush has signed legislation that outlaws "virtual
child pornography"--computer-generated images of children
engaged in sexual acts--and the use of misleading domain
names to lure children to adult Web sites. A provision in
the Children's Internet Protection Act that outlawed virtual
child pornography was struck down as unconstitutional by the
Supreme Court. The two provisions were part of a larger bill,
called the Amber Alert bill, that addresses a range of issues
related to abuse and exploitation of children. Some lawmakers
expressed concern that these provisions could criminalize
sexually oriented art or certain safe-sex Internet resources.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), one of the sponsors of the misleading
domain name provision, said he tried to write the law in such
a way as to ban false advertising rather than restrict speech.
Washington Post, 30 April 2003
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59301-2003Apr30.html


----- Original Message -----
From: "Patricio Valdes" <valdes@parava.net>
To: <registrars@dnso.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 1:24 AM
Subject: [registrars] Amber Alert and Adult Domains


Has anyone heard anything about this or have any comments on this?

Basically our client is worried that by owning sex related domains, he could
end in jail because of the new Amber Alert Bill.

I am copying his email regarding this.


Patricio Valdes
Parava Networks



----- Original Message -----

To: Patricio Valdes
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 5:35 PM
Subject: Re: Domain Renewal


Well its real ive been looking around for info myself regarding this. Im
surprised no one has heard about it or has talked about it outside of the
adult industry. Its a big problem for those who may be affected but there's
does not seem to be much talk or info in the search engines.

I was told by a buddy of mine that some domains i have such as xxxxxxxx.com
was a 50/50 gamble. But i have tens of thousands invested into building and
branding this site for well over a year and this may put me out of biz.


Here is the actual Amendment which was tied to the Amber Alert Bill.
http://www.house.gov/rules/pence.pdf?tag=nl

Under the proposal, a last-minute amendment to an unrelated child abduction
bill, people who knowingly use an innocent-sounding domain name to drive
traffic to a sexually explicit Web site could be fined and imprisoned for
two to four years. An example of an innocuous-sounding domain name with
pornographic content is WhiteHouse.com, which is not sponsored by the Bush
administration.

This was where the artical was posted.
http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1023-963110.html?tag=bplst