Afternic is a reseller of Internet domain names. Today they announced that they will “no longer accept domain names that promote hate, sex, obscenity or self-destructive behavior, such as substance abuse, violence and gambling.” Afternic explains:
The sole rationale behind our decision is to make Afternic a more comfortable site for mainstream domain name shoppers, especially small business owners. We recognize that taking a leadership role on this issue may have a negative financial impact on our business in the near term. Nonetheless, we believe strongly that it’s the right thing long-term decision for our industry and Afternic…We applaud Afternic’s example of corporate self-restraint, and hope others will emulate them. See Afternic’s full press release.
We hope that [affected Afternic members], and others, will understand that we have no interest in censorship and that we fully support First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and expression…
The Internet, much like the early days of television, is still a new frontier. We believe it is up to the industry leaders–and we include Afternic here–to step up and determine what constitutes professional standards and practices. We take this action in the interest of socially responsible corporate behavior and hope that it leads to further healthy industry dialog and discussion on the topic.