|
Father Harrassed by Fanatics Story
Domain name privacy is something that is very important to
me. You see, I'm a webmaster for an adult Web site. Like many of you, my
work does not define the person that I am; it is simply what I do for a
living. Some people are highly offended by it for a variety of reasons.
You may think I want to protect the Whois information on my adult domains.
If that's what you're thinking, you are mistaken. I don't hide what I do
from anyone, other than those too young to know about it, of course. The
domain information I wish to protect relates to my non-adult Web sites.
Allow me tell you a story and you'll better understand where I'm coming
from.
Before anything, I am a father. I have a beautiful 5-year-old son who is
my world. Although his mother and I have been divorced since he was 1, we
get along very well. I'm a huge part of his life, as any father should
be. Nothing that can bring me to tears faster than when he gets hurt or
when he says something cute. I'm sure those of you who are parents can
relate to this.
I started a blog for my son several years ago. I post entries on a
regular basis, even though he cannot yet read. I tell him how I feel
about him, conversations the two of us have together, places we go, things
we do, and conversations his mother and I have about him. The only
intended readers of this blog are immediate family.
Not long ago, an anonymous person on an Internet message board took
exception with my line of work. He made it his job to learn quite a bit
about my life. Somehow, he stumbled across the blog I have for my son.
I'd originally registered the domain when my ex-wife and I were still
together. When we divorced, the Whois information contained the name and
telephone number we had shared. I forgot to change it when we parted.
Imagine my horror when this religious zealot decided to call what he
THOUGHT was MY phone number. I don't know why he felt the hatred spewing
from his mouth into my ex-wife's ears was in any way justified, but
apparently he thought it was. The threats he made seemed to indicate that
he wasn't all there. Now, think of how she felt when the man didn't
believe that the target of his hatred no longer lived there. Imagine the
terror she felt when she went to bed at night after this idiot threatened
to show up on her doorstep. Would the police show up in time if he came?
Would she even get the chance to call for help?
Now imagine how I feel as a father. My son and his mother may be facing
some half-deranged lunatic showing up on their doorstep at any time, all
because I forgot to change the Whois information on a domain. That
information has now been changed, of course. I want nothing more than to
keep it private to avoid future instances such as this. I don't want my
son's well-being placed in jeopardy by a person that has found his address
in a Whois database.
|
