German registrar bans Ogrish.com

ToshiroOC · Feb 12, 2003, 08:41 AM

A domain name registrar in Germany has deleted the registration for a gruesome U.S.-based online photo gallery that featured stomach-wrenching images from autopsies and medical procedures.

Computer Service Langenbach, which operates the Joker.com registrar in Dusseldorf, Germany, yanked the Ogrish.com domain name from its database this week in response to a request from a German prosecutor, said the hosting service and the owner of the site Tuesday.

"I've never heard of a case where a registrar can disable a domain over content," said Ted Hickman, who runs Virginia-based ProHosters.com. "I certainly won't be registering any domains at Joker.com...We'll host anything that's legal in the U.S. It's not our job to determine whether content is acceptable to others."

Neither Computer Service Langenbach nor the German embassy in Washington responded to inquiries. A search on the domain Ogrish.com in the Whois database lists it as "disabled by government."

Hickman provided a copy of the e-mail from Joker.com that said that domain was taken offline "by order of Staatsanwaltschaft Dusseldorf," the public prosecutor's office.

If a German government office did order the domain removed, this would be another case of the global Internet running up against national laws, which in Germany can be unusually restrictive. In October 2001, the Dusseldorf government ordered local Internet providers to block access to four U.S. Web sites, including shock site Rotten.com.

In October 2000, the Chicago Board of Elections won a court order shutting down VoteAuction.com, a Web site in Austria that claimed to allow Americans to trade their votes in the presidential elections that year. It soon popped up under the new name Vote-auction.com.

"The German government has shut Ogrish.com--one of the biggest shock Internet sites around--down through Joker.com," Dan Klinker, the founder of Sterling, Va.-based grish.com, said in an e-mail message on Tuesday. "Ogrish.com is currently being hosted on Ogrish.prohosters.com."

In hopes of finding a more free-speech-friendly locale, Klinker said he has tried to transfer the domain away from Joker.com to a U.S. registrar but the transfer has not taken place yet.

--By Declan McCullagh, source: news.com (CNET)

Article can be read here.

ToshiroOC · Feb 12, 2003, 08:42 AM

As much as I love freedom of speech, the guys who run places like rotten.com and ogrish.com are REALLY over the line... you'll see no complaints from me over this...

Zardon · Feb 12, 2003, 03:03 PM

those sites are sick, hardly a major loss. some material just doesnt need to be seen "for kicks"

JavaFox · Feb 12, 2003, 09:20 PM

I don't visit either of those sites, and from what I understand, their content is tasteless. But I still strongly support the right of those sites to exist and consider the banning of them as a loss.

Zardon · Feb 12, 2003, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JavaFox
But I still strongly support the right of those sites to exist and consider the banning of them as a loss.

in theory your principals are sound, and something I treasure, the freedom of speech and the freedom to discuss and debate.

I was also taught ethics and a fine sense of humanity. After visiting that site once, seeing pictures of Rape, deaths, mutilations and other depraved imagery, which I couldnt stomach. I felt that some things are best left unseen.

I dont agree. it is no loss at all. it has absolutely no educational, medicial, or society improving reason to "exist".... only to twisted people who get kicks from seeing accidents or people getting butchered in various ways.

I know for a fact the child of a guy I know, who saw this site in school after being tempted by some older "cool" kids, and he hasnt been mentally well since, months ago.

its only marginally better than child porn, totally unjustifiable and ethically void.

JavaFox · Feb 12, 2003, 10:25 PM

Well, maybe I was unclear. Those sites are revolting and disgusting to put it mildly. I just believe that sites shouldn't be coerced off the 'Net. I would like nothing more than to see those sites dissapear, but I would want them to go away because of disinterest. That's why I don't go there.

But, actually, I think I might have jumped the gun. I automatically assumed that the Germany government did this, and not a private organization. If that is the case, I absolutely support the right of private companies to refuse to host content, just like how Google refuses to host gun advertisements.

MikeDaMan · Feb 13, 2003, 12:00 AM

I agree with everyone one of you. Those sites are totally sick and have way passed the line. I think the Germany government did the right thing.

ToshiroOC · Feb 13, 2003, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zardon
its only marginally better than child porn, totally unjustifiable and ethically void.

I think its worse - child porn normally doesn't involve the brutal maiming and slaughter of the person involved... banning child porn isn't exactly seen as going against free speech, and I think that this sort of depraved crap should be grouped in there with stuff that really just can't be shown...

Feb 12, 2003, 08:41 AM	#1
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	German registrar bans Ogrish.com A domain name registrar in Germany has deleted the registration for a gruesome U.S.-based online photo gallery that featured stomach-wrenching images from autopsies and medical procedures. Computer Service Langenbach, which operates the Joker.com registrar in Dusseldorf, Germany, yanked the Ogrish.com domain name from its database this week in response to a request from a German prosecutor, said the hosting service and the owner of the site Tuesday. "I've never heard of a case where a registrar can disable a domain over content," said Ted Hickman, who runs Virginia-based ProHosters.com. "I certainly won't be registering any domains at Joker.com...We'll host anything that's legal in the U.S. It's not our job to determine whether content is acceptable to others." Neither Computer Service Langenbach nor the German embassy in Washington responded to inquiries. A search on the domain Ogrish.com in the Whois database lists it as "disabled by government." Hickman provided a copy of the e-mail from Joker.com that said that domain was taken offline "by order of Staatsanwaltschaft Dusseldorf," the public prosecutor's office. If a German government office did order the domain removed, this would be another case of the global Internet running up against national laws, which in Germany can be unusually restrictive. In October 2001, the Dusseldorf government ordered local Internet providers to block access to four U.S. Web sites, including shock site Rotten.com. In October 2000, the Chicago Board of Elections won a court order shutting down VoteAuction.com, a Web site in Austria that claimed to allow Americans to trade their votes in the presidential elections that year. It soon popped up under the new name Vote-auction.com. "The German government has shut Ogrish.com--one of the biggest shock Internet sites around--down through Joker.com," Dan Klinker, the founder of Sterling, Va.-based grish.com, said in an e-mail message on Tuesday. "Ogrish.com is currently being hosted on Ogrish.prohosters.com." In hopes of finding a more free-speech-friendly locale, Klinker said he has tried to transfer the domain away from Joker.com to a U.S. registrar but the transfer has not taken place yet. --By Declan McCullagh, source: news.com (CNET) Article can be read here.

Feb 12, 2003, 08:42 AM	Thread Starter #2
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	As much as I love freedom of speech, the guys who run places like rotten.com and ogrish.com are REALLY over the line... you'll see no complaints from me over this... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Feb 13, 2003, 12:00 AM	#7
MikeDaMan DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 874 Rep Power: 0	I agree with everyone one of you. Those sites are totally sick and have way passed the line. I think the Germany government did the right thing. __________________ DFI Lanpart UT 250GB motherboard. 1GB 2X512 Crucial Ballistix PC 3200. AMD Athlon 64 3400+. Retail ATI Radeon X850XT PE AGP

Feb 12, 2003, 03:03 PM	#3
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	those sites are sick, hardly a major loss. some material just doesnt need to be seen "for kicks"

Feb 12, 2003, 09:20 PM	#4
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	I don't visit either of those sites, and from what I understand, their content is tasteless. But I still strongly support the right of those sites to exist and consider the banning of them as a loss.

Feb 12, 2003, 10:25 PM	#6
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Well, maybe I was unclear. Those sites are revolting and disgusting to put it mildly. I just believe that sites shouldn't be coerced off the 'Net. I would like nothing more than to see those sites dissapear, but I would want them to go away because of disinterest. That's why I don't go there. But, actually, I think I might have jumped the gun. I automatically assumed that the Germany government did this, and not a private organization. If that is the case, I absolutely support the right of private companies to refuse to host content, just like how Google refuses to host gun advertisements.