Domain seller Godaddy fears India's fake site crackdown could damage internet
GoDaddy, the world's largest domain seller, expressed concerns that India's proposed crackdown on fake websites could harm the internet's open architecture. The company warned that overly broad measures might lead to unintended censorship and disrupt legitimate domain registrations, affecting online freedom and business operations in the country.
Background
- GoDaddy is the world's largest domain name registrar, handling around 80 million domain names. It sells web addresses (like example.com) as well as hosting and website-building services.
- India's new IT Rules 2026, aimed at curbing fake news and phishing sites, require domain registrars to verify the identity of every person or business buying a domain — similar to mandatory KYC (Know Your Customer) checks used in banking.
- GoDaddy and other global registrars argue this massively slows down domain registration, raises costs, and could force them to pull out of India entirely, potentially breaking how the internet works in the country.
- The core tension: India says the rules are needed to fight fraud and misinformation; critics say heavy-handed verification will stifle free speech, hurt small businesses, and fragment the web along national lines — a trend often called the "splinternet."