Be Careful with Your Content--And Your Web Host!

As domain owners, we want to provide quality content for people who stop by our sites. We want visitors to like our sites and to come back as often as possible. But we've always got to remember to be careful about the content we offer to others.

Yesterday, "BuLLDoG," a NamePros regular, got an email from his web host informing him that the FBI and Scotland Yard are investigating BuLLDoG for copyright violations; BuLLDoG's website provided visitors with ring tones and song lyrics for free. The Web Host in question--AventureHost--has taken down BuLLDoG's website and they want to levy a $1500 fine for violating their terms of service!

Now, before you make summary judgments in this case, you need to know more about AventureHost. A section of the email they sent to BuLLDoG read:

"The URL(S) stated above is in violation by way of using a trademarked name and pictures to fraudulently gain logins and passwords to accounts"

BuLLDoG wasn't trying to "gain logins and passwords to accounts!" Furthermore, he was never contacted by the FBI or Scotland Yard about any trademark or copyright violations.

So it seems that AventureHost is the real villain of this tale. They used the free content being offered by BuLLDoG as an excuse to try and extort $1,500 from him.

I've had to deal with some pretty shady web hosts in the past but nothing as bad as this! Click here to visit the forum and read more about this saga.

If you've had any experience with AventureHost, post a comment here. If they are as bad as BuLLDoG's story indicates, then we'll have to initiate a major boycott.