Truth in Domain Names Act

[OzKaNoz]

This is a reply I did to a post on another board but thought I would post it here also. Were you aware of this? What are your thoughts on this? What well you do?
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Truth in Domain Names Act of 2003 (Introduced in Senate)

S 800 IS


108th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 800
To prevent the use of a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a person into viewing obscenity on the Internet.


IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 7, 2003
Mr. HATCH introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary



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A BILL
To prevent the use of a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a person into viewing obscenity on the Internet.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

The Act may be cited as the `Truth in Domain Names Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. FALSE OR MISLEADING DOMAIN NAMES ON THE INTERNET.

(a ) IN GENERAL- Chapter 110 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2252A the following:

`Sec. 2252B. False or misleading domain names on the Internet

`(a ) Whoever knowingly uses a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a person into viewing obscenity on the Internet shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.

`(B ) Whoever knowingly uses a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a minor into viewing material that is harmful to minors on the Internet shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 4 years, or both.

`© For the purposes of this section, a domain name that includes a word or words to indicate the sexual content of the site, such as `sex' or `porn' , is not misleading.

`(d ) For the purposes of this section, the term `material that is harmful to minors' means any communication that--

`(1) taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

`(2) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

`(3) taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.'.

(B ) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 110 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the time relating to section 2252A the following new item:

`2252B. False or misleading domain names on the Internet.'.

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The above is as it is printed on http://thomas.loc.gov
I think as long as you have something like:
Sex
Porn
Pussy
Nude
Erotica
Erotic
and so on in your domain name you should be fine.

But I don't think that the other domains have a chance if there small and don't have something of a bold sexual nature in the domain it's self.
There are a lot of porn sites that with domains like bobs-used-links or bobs-galleries. I think their screwed.

And a thought on you folks that are hosted outside the U.S. and think this won't effect you.
Your wrong, domains can be blocked from reaching the U.S.

Since the U.S. has the biggest market for porn your bottomline will drop if you don't comply with this.

I'm not saying I agree with this but there are merits to the what the Gov is trying to do.

The sky is not falling, life is not over. But there are a lot of webmasters that will be forced to clean up their acts.

Oz



Last edited by OzKaNoz at May 2 2003, 06:32 AM