.nz right choice for Kiwis

This is a guest post from Debbie Monahan, Domain Name Commissioner

If Kiwis needed any further evidence of the value of a .nz name, hosted in New Zealand, recent stories about US Homeland Security seizing domain names held by non-US organisations should provide it. The most recent of these is a Spanish name which the courts in Spain had declared legal at the end of their legal process but which was seized by Homeland Security anyway.
http://www.expertulpc.com/tech/homeland-security-seizes-spanish-domain-name-that-had-already-been-declared-legal-01028101

In addition to the benefit of a .nz domain name identifying New Zealand, .nz Registrants also have a policy framework that protects Registrants rights and ensures that organisations like the US Homeland Security can’t just come in and seize a .nz name.

We’re not talking here about a hosting company enforcing their Acceptable Use Policy due to the content you’re displaying, we’re talking about losing control of your domain name and that can’t happen easily under .nz policies.

There are really only three ways to have your .nz registration affected:

• You’ve breached the .nz policies by having incorrect registration details and not correcting them when requested. After notice, your domain name may be cancelled; or
• A complaint has been laid under the .nz Dispute Resolution Service and you have either come to an agreement through mediation or lost the dispute when its been referred to an Expert; or
• Your domain name has been the subject of a court hearing and a court order has been made specifying a particular action to be taken against that particular domain name.

The Domain Name Commission will ensure appropriate court orders are enforced but will not take a .nz domain name out of the DNS without that clear direction from the courts.

If anyone ever has any questions about a .nz domain name the Domain Name Commission is here to help at info@dnc.org.nz.

Debbie Monahan
Domain Name Commissioner