Nominet as official police censors

[Peter Mitchell]

http://www.nominet.org.uk/policy/issuegroups/current/domainsassociatedwithcrime/
"Dealing with domain names used in connection with criminal activity
[Issue Champion: Serious and Organised Crime Agency]
Nominet does not currently have any clear obligation in its registrant Terms and Conditions that a domain name should not be used in connection with any activity that would constitute an offence under UK Criminal law. The group will discuss whether proposals should be put forward to change Nominet's Terms and Conditions to give a contractual basis to suspend domains where Nominet has reasonable grounds to believe they are being used to commit a crime (e.g. a request from an identified UK Law Enforcement Agency)"

Notice the assumption that a police request alone is sufficient evidence to take down a website. That already seems to be standard Nominet practice: from the briefing document "... There are increasing expectations from Law Enforcement Agencies that Nominet and its members will respond quickly to reasonable requests to suspend domain names being used in association with criminal activity and Nominet has been working with them in response to formal requests."

What an excellent way of enforcing a police officer's personal interpretation of (say) the Obscene Publications Act, without having to trouble the courts. I look forward to the disappearance of all DH Lawrence study sites. 

-- 
Pete Mitchell