If you register a ".ps" domain, it doesn't matter if you use MarkMonitor or Namecheap, they can't help you when the ongoing genocide results in the removal of Palestine as a country and ".ps" no longer is a valid country code top level domain.
Similarly, if you register a .us domain instead of a ".com", ".net", or ".org", MarkMonitor can't help you when GoDaddy inevitably screws up.
History has borne this out: .com domains are well-managed. ccTLDs like '.io', '.su', and '.fj' have all had significant security or availability issues because they're run by "eh, whoever the hell the country picks" with no standards.
Financially, a proper gTLD also can't raise prices unilaterally and weirdly, while if you pick a ccTLD, the country has free reign to arbitrarily change prices, delete your domain, take over your domain, etc etc.
Do not use a ccTLD.
That sounds like MarkMonitor is at least partly at fault here.
If you're based in Germany, I don't see a reason why you would want to avoid .de domains.
Look into what’s happened with pricing on domains like .org and .info. They’re increasingly absurd, with the restrictions on price increases that once were there largely being removed, at the pushing of the sharks that bought the registrar. Why are these prices increasing well above inflation rate, when if anything the costs should go down over time? Why is .info now almost twice as expensive as .com?
And conversely, when not based in Germany, you'd need a proxy Administrative Contact anyway. (Registrars can probably provide that for you, but it seems like asking for trouble.)
Under German law, as far as I understand this is true for publications "addressed to a German audience" regardless of your domain's TLD, your server location etc.
That's not completely accurate. Section 2.10c of the base registry agreement says the following in relation to the uniform pricing obligations:
> The foregoing requirements of this Section 2.10(c) shall not apply for (i) purposes of determining Renewal Pricing if the registrar has provided Registry Operator with documentation that demonstrates that the applicable registrant expressly agreed in its registration agreement with registrar to higher Renewal Pricing at the time of the initial registration
Most registrars have blanket statements in their registration agreement that say premium domains may be subject to higher renewal pricing. For registry premium domains, there are no contractual limits on pricing or price discrimination. AFAIK, the registries can price premium domains however they want.
100% on the GoDaddy staff.
> The foregoing requirements of this Section 2.10(c) shall not apply for (i) purposes of determining Renewal Pricing if the registrar has provided Registry Operator with documentation that demonstrates that the applicable registrant expressly agreed in its registration agreement with registrar to higher Renewal Pricing at the time of the initial registration of the domain name following clear and conspicuous disclosure of such Renewal Pricing to such registrant
Furthermore:
> The parties acknowledge that the purpose of this Section 2.10(c) is to prohibit abusive and/or discriminatory Renewal Pricing practices imposed by Registry Operator without the written consent of the applicable registrant at the time of the initial registration of the domain and this Section 2.10(c) will be interpreted broadly to prohibit such practices
Yes, premium domains can be priced higher, but the Renewal Pricing has to be "clear and conspicuous" to the registrant at the time of initial registration. Are you aware of any litigation related to this?
I’m curious about where are you seeing what Mark Monitor requested? It doesn’t appear in the official status update. Is this public information formally posted somewhere we can all see?
It sounds like you think I’m being deceptive. Do you know about any registry premium domains where someone has a contractually guaranteed price?
Also, based on my own anecdotal experience, ICANN doesn’t interpret 2.10c broadly and they allow the registries to push the boundaries as much as they want.
Yes, it is.
"Their enforcement team works with platforms to remove infringing content and can even help with legal proceedings if needed. They don't just find problems—they help solve them through their connections with major online platforms and their understanding of takedown procedures."
What you're paying for is MarkMonitor's people having the cell phone number of the guy at the operations end of whatever point in the chain screwed up. At least that was their original pitch. Now, they have a whole range of tracking services which you can get elsewhere.