links.net - fuck.com

Since then the Internet has grown by literally hundreds of thousands of percentage points, people have been busted big time for online obscenity - folks at InterNIC have become more cautious.

I exchanged a few letters over the legal implications of the registration, and finally spoke to someone over the issue.

In June 1995, I served on a think tank/panel with Jon Postel, the guy responsible for withholding the domain, at the time.

He wasn't a suit, he had longish gray frizzed hair, and a bushy santa-beard. He wore jeans and acted like an academic computer dude.

He noted that his authority to hand out domains is tenuous as it is, if he was responsible for doling out the controversial, some government beaurocracy might take over his job. He asked me, which would I prefer?

Since the Internic started charging for domains I'm not clear who has what authority these days, if I am now allowed to buy myself fuck dot com.

Finding bigtits.com, and Procter and Gamble's diarrhea.com made me feel pretty righteous though. What do they think I am, some kinda porno publisher?

Then Sam Weiler mailed me this:

CAKE Publications, Inc. (FUCKER-DOM)                                FUCKER.COM
Congressional Censors (FUCKEDUP-DOM)                              FUCKEDUP.COM
Fighting Censor-happy Congress-heads (FUCKHEAD-DOM)               FUCKHEAD.COM
For UnLawful Cardinal Knowledge Education Division (FUCKED-DOM)     FUCKED.COM
Fragging Inc. (FUCKOFF-DOM)                                        FUCKOFF.COM
Plastic Surgery International (FUCKFACE-DOM)                      FUCKFACE.COM
Sex on the Beach (FUCKING-DOM)                                     FUCKING.COM

No match for "FUCK.COM"

CyberWorks (SHITSNGIGGLES-DOM)                               SHITSNGIGGLES.COM
Pigs in Shit Club (SHIT2-DOM)                                         SHIT.COM
Smear's Enterprises of Happy (SHIT-SMEAR-DOM)                   SHIT-SMEAR.COM

As Yer Mama Net Productions expands its publishing purview, fuck characterizes a good deal of its publishing. fuck is a powerful word, we intend to use it as a web domain for a powerful press.

Date: 21 Dec 1994

Jon -

Still no answer on this.

>Justin:
>
>One concern about your name request has to do with possible
>litagation arising. Do you agree to pay all costs of the IANA
>and the InterNIC that might arise due to the registration of this
>domain name?
>
>Suppose some district attorney in Podunk Georgia decided to haul
>us all into court for violating some obsenity law in his county?
>Will you pay all our costs?

I agree to take responsibility for litigation resulting from the use of the domain name "fuck.com"

Anything else you need me to say? I am willing to take any responsibility for this off your hands - how I use it and what comes of it will be my concern.

Thanks Jon,
Justin

Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 18:03:22 -0700
From: postel@ISI.EDU (Jon Postel)
To: justin@cyborgasmic
Subject: re: domain fuck.com
Cc: iana@ISI.EDU

Justin:

One concern about your name request has to do with possible litagation arising. Do you agree to pay all costs of the IANA and the InterNIC that might arise due to the registration of this domain name?

Suppose some district attorney in Podunk Georgia decided to haul us all into court for violating some obsenity law in his county? Will you pay all our costs?

The disclaimer below is now being attached to all domain name request materials, and to all completed assignments.

--jon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DISCLAIMER

By the registration of your name on the Internet, the IANA, the InterNIC, Network Solutions Inc., the University of Southern California, and the National Science Foundation are accepting in good faith that you have the right to the use the name.

The IANA and InterNIC/Network Solutions' function in registering names on the Internet is to assure that the name does not conflict with any other name in the name space requested.

The user by its registration and use on the name and/or their continued use of an existing name agrees, as part of their request for name registration, to indemnify and hold harmless from any and all costs, fees, expenses arising from litigation involving trademark, trade name, service mark, and any other name infringements, or other reasons, the IANA, the InterNIC, Network Solutions Inc., the University of Southern California, and the National Science Foundation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Domain Registration Role Account <domreg@internic.net>
Subject: Re: Domain; fuck.com
To: justin@wired.com (Justin Hall)
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 1994 15:45:59 -0400 (EDT)

I wouldn't count on an answer anytime soon... There is going to be a general over-haul of domain registratons policy... I believe the IANA is working on that now. Until that happens, requests like yours will remain in limbo.

Sorry, Duane
InterNIC Domain Registration

email domreg@internic.net
voice (703) 742-4777
fax (703) 742-4811

Duane -

Thanks for taking the time to review my domain request individually. I understand your problem with the domain name, and so I wanted to write back to allay your fears. I have set up a small publishing company online and I would like to use this domain to point to a machine where I will be keeping the materials related to this company. This domain name fits in with my vision of the company perfectly.

I don't disgree with you that fuck is a powerful word - that's why I would like to use it as a domain name for powerful press. The way the net/www works, people won't see it unless someone makes a link to it, which makes that someone the first line of determining propriety. Plus, people can operate on the www with transparent URLs, never having to see the address behind the link. Finally, someone writing us e-mail at that address is doing so by their choice, and wouldn't have the word foisted on them.

With the ever expanding growth of the net, it was inevitable that someone would choose this name. I believe you can trust me to put it to appropriate use.

Let me know what other concerns you might have,
Justin

From: Domain Registration Role Account <domreg@internic.net>
Subject: Re: Domain; fuck.com
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 94 10:18:20 EDT
Cc: scottw@rs.internic.net (Scott Williamson), iana@isi.edu

Justin, my friend - is this domain really necessary? or are you just pushing the envelope?? Perhaps the purpose of this domain could be realized as a third-level domain under either of your cyberogasmic domains???

We're not in the business of censoring names, but by the same token we are the stewards of the name space. There are undoubtedly a large number of people who would be offended by public display of this name. Seems to me there are already standards in place in other areas that could be applied here. For example, if you wanted to obtain a customized car license plate with various "4-letter" words, would your state issue one to you????

For the time being, I am denying your application. By this message, I am asking for any comment that the project manager or IANA may have on the subject.

I will update your email address and phone number in the InterNIC database.

Regards, Duane
InterNIC Domain Registration

email domreg@internic.net
voice (703) 742-4777
fax (703) 742-4811

>To establish a domain, the following information must be sent to the InterNIC Registration Services (HOSTMASTER@INTERNIC.NET). Either this template, or the "short form" following this template may be used.

>(1) The name of the top-level domain to join (EDU, GOV, COM, NET, ORG).

>1. Top-level domain:COM

>(2) The name of the domain (up to 24 characters). This is the name that will be used in tables and lists associating the domain with the domain servers addresses. While domain names can be quite long, the use of shorter, more user-friendly names is recommended.

>2. Complete Domain Name:fuck.com

>(3) The name and address of the organization for which the domain iis being established.

>3a. Organization name:Yer Mama Net Productions

>3b. Organization address: East Lakeshore
> Chicago, IL 60611

>(4) The date you expect the domain to be fully operational.

>4. Date operational: 1 September 1994

>NOTE: The key people must have electronic mailboxes (even if in the domain being registered) and "handles" (unique InterNIC database identifiers). If you have access to "WHOIS", please check to see if the contacts are registered and if so, include only the handle and changes (if any) that need to be made in the entry. If you do not have access to "WHOIS", please provide all the information indicated and a handle will be assigned.

>(5) The handle of the administrative head of the organization in (3) above or this person's name, postal address, phone number, organization, and network emailbox. This is the contact point for administrative and policy questions about the domain.

>Administrative Contact

>5a. Handle (if known):Justin
>5b. Name (Last, First):Justin Hall
>5c. Organization:Yer Mama Net Productions
>5f. Net Mailbox:justin@cyborgasmic

>(6) The handle of the technical contact for the domain or this person's name, mailing address, phone number, organization, and network mailbox. This is the contact point for problems and updates regarding the domain or zone.

>Technical and Zone Contact

>6a. Handle (if known):Justin
>6b. Name (Last, First):Justin Hall
>6c. Organization:Yer Mama Net Productions
>6f. Net Mailbox:justin@cyborgasmic

>NOTE: Domains must provide at least two independent servers for translating names to addresses for hosts in the domain. The servers should be in physically separate locations and on different networks if possible. The servers should be active and responsive to DNS queries BEFORE this application is submitted. Incomplete information in sections 7 and 8 or inactive servers will result in delay of the registration.

>(7) The primary server information.

>7a. Primary Server Hostname: ramona.cyborganic.com
>7b. Primary Server Netaddress:
>7c. Primary Server Hardware:
>7d. Primary Server Software:

>(8) The secondary server information.

>8a. Secondary Server Hostname: hyperreal.com
>8b. Secondary Server Netaddress:
>8c. Secondary Server Hardware:
>8d. Secondary Server Software:

>(9) Please briefly describe the organization for which this domain is being registered. If the domain is for an organization that already has a domain registered, please describe the purpose of this domain.

>Yer Mama Net Productions, on the forefront of web wide view provision, is registering this domain name to use for a web site and e-mail addresses related to the nature of this domain.

>For further information contact InterNIC Registration Services:

>Via electronic mail: HOSTMASTER@INTERNIC.NET
>Via telephone: (703) 742-4777
>Via facsimile: (703) 742-4811
>Via postal mail: Network Solutions
>InterNIC Registration Services
>505 Huntmar Park Drive
>Herndon, VA 22070