WebLock program will be opt-in, not opt-out: Web.com
Firm will not charge clients for added security service unless they accept it.
Web.com, parent firm of Network Solutions and Register.com, came under fire yesterday following informing some clients they would automatically be opted-in to a security program that costs $1,850.
An email sent to 49 clients informed them that their accounts would have added security under a fresh service called WebLock. The email also indicated that clients would be charged $1,850 for the first year of the service unless they called to opt-out of the program.
In an interview with Reglike today, Web.com COO Jason Teichman stated the program will actually be opt-in, and no one will be charged for the service unless they agree to add it.
“Candidly, we did not do a good job in wording that [email],” Teichman stated. “Every one of those clients is getting a call. It’s not our intention to enroll anyone in a program they don’t want.”
Web.com plans to offer the service to its top 1% of clients as stated by domain traffic, value of brands, etc. That’s regarding 30,000 clients in all. It started by notify just 49 clients “so we can crawl our way into it,” Teichman stated. Given the response from the initial email, that was probably a good idea.
WebLock itself is actually quite useful and seems to be priced competitively with the market. The $1,850 charge for the first year ($1,350 thereafter) covers an entire account regardless of the number of domains. It is designed to prevent a domain’s nameservers from being hijacked or the domain name stolen. It has three components:
1. Web.com will store the domains’ nameserver information in a specialized, highly secure, separate system.
2. The domains will use registry lock services such as Verisign’s Registry Lock when possible. Web.com will have its own sort of lock for some other TLDs.
3. There are a series of authentication levels for making a change to the nameserver or email address on the account. Only pre-registered persons can request a change. They will be contacted at their pre-registered phone number and must give a nine digit pin (that was sent offline) in order to make the change. Once this authentication is cleared, everyone registered on the account will receive a notification regarding the change.
This is exactly the type of service all major site owners ought to consider so they don’t end up like the Fresh York Times.
In a nutshell: the program is good as long as it’s opt-in. Which, thankfully, it will be.
