The domain industry needs a whole lot more transparency
While everyone is awaiting the next wave of the Nelson “Halvarez” Brady tsunami to hit the domain shores, the lingering question is obvious: will there be more transparency in the future?
Oversee is currently rushing to wrap up the Snapnames shill bidding scandal in a manner that does not instill confidence. The forensics company that was hired by Oversee to investigate the scandal is most likely driving the specifics of the “rebate” that was announced. However, this is clearly a method by Oversee to minimize any collateral damage, while giving the impression that the Augean stables would be clean.
But is this the case?
Snapnames has removed and currently does not provide access to crucial historical data older than 2 years, related to the exchange of bids per auction performed. The ousted former employee, Nelson Brady – a VP of Engineering no less – was allegedly driving a shill bidding process under the handle of “halvarez”, participating in thousands of auctions over the course of several years.
Transparency is a key element here, and Oversee does not seem to fully understand that they are not exactly doing what they should be doing: reassuring the Snapnames customers that their losses will be compensated, by providing access to historical data that is currently unavailable.
Due diligence must be performed independently by each person that has a reason to challenge the upcoming outcome of the forensics company’s research.
This is the first major wave that paints the domain industry in a rather unflattering light; it’s the first of several that – unless transparency is established – will severely hammer the domain coast. Because currently, there is no transparency in the PPC sector; there is no transparency in the drop-catching business and there is no transparency in the way domains are handled, transferred, secured and resold.
So while many – myself included – got upset with the TechCrunch article which called the domain industry “dirty”, perhaps that will be a stepping stone in order to begin the process of instilling transparency in every aspect of this Wild West called “domaining”.
