Web Hosting Provider Namecheap To Ban Russia-Based Users, Citing Ukraine (pcmag.com) 136
Domain and web hosting provider Namecheap is terminating all service with the company's Russian-based users over the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. From a report: "Unfortunately, due to the Russian regime's war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia," US-based Namecheap told Russian users in an email on Monday. The company is asking Russian users to transfer their domains to another provider by March 6. Otherwise their sites will resolve to a 403 Forbidden page. In addition, Namecheap has begun blocking Russian clients from using the company's web hosting and private email services over Russian internet domains, including .ru and .su. "While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by," the company added. The decision has caused some Russian users to complain they've been unfairly targeted. "Whoever came up with this idea is an idiot and should be fired," wrote one user on Twitter, who claims Namecheap is "blanket targeting" civilians, instead of going after Russia's government.
Why not prison for Putin? (Score:2, Insightful)
Why can someone, who is supposedly acting as a national leader, kill other people, but not be put in prison?
putin needs to be taken out (Score:2, Flamebait)
putin needs to be taken out
Re: putin needs to be taken out (Score:3)
Well I am glad that didn't happen.
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As an American, the fact anyone can think that would have been a good idea is absolutely terrifying to me. No one power should control all others on any given subject. Just no. That would not work out well in the long run, no matter how fun it seems in fantasy.
Re: putin needs to be taken out (Score:2)
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Honestly I think that the time when the US was the sole nuclear power, it should have disarmed everyone else and declared itself the sole hegemonic power, outlawing arms development and standing armies for all other nations.
Terrible idea.
Re: putin needs to be taken out (Score:2)
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Re: putin needs to be taken out (Score:2)
Why not prison for XYZ? (Score:2)
1.) Basically you are right
- why not
2.) But we should also put some company in, at least with G.W. Bush Jr. (unprovoked war, lied to UN, led to false UN Mandate)
3.) Why has this not happened with Bush and will not happen with supreme leader Vladimir Vladimirowitsch Idiotowarish
Because they are/were both leaders of States sitting on the biggest pile of World Ending Shit where the word "WMD" does not even fit it.
-> Yes, reality is shit unjust and everything else, but you need to accept it.
If Putin pushes
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Assuming your opponent is inept, is often a sign you have been fed propaganda.
Cold war imagery of the US with clean modern state of the art equipment, while Russia has a fleet of outdated and not working equipment was part of the US Propaganda campaign during the cold war, as a way to make sure Americans felt that they are on the winning side.
I would like to think Russia is really that unprepared. However I doubt it, as they are a major threat, and had kept up with space based travel for decades longer the
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Simple... He has access to a nuclear arsenal, and a military that will try to protect him.
Bringing him to justice, would be a painful and costly attempt. Where the less heroic, and pragmatic methods that we are trying now, seem to cause less overall damage.
It really sucks, because we have to allow a lot of pain and suffering to happen, because trying too hard to stop it, will create orders of magnitude more suffering.
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I agree. Together with the last few drone-murdering US presidents, obviously. But that is not going to happen. You can only jail people that a) you have and b) that are not protected by those in power.
Collateral damage. (Score:2)
The decision has caused some Russian users to complain they've been unfairly targeted. "Whoever came up with this idea is an idiot and should be fired," wrote one user on Twitter, who claims Namecheap is "blanket targeting" civilians, instead of going after Russia's government.
Is the Russian government using Namecheap?
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Re: Collateral damage. (Score:2)
"How are they missing the fact that their entire country is subject to massive comprehensive sanctions"
They are paid to.
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That's a reasonable guess, but it could well be an honest complaint. This doesn't mean it should be accepted, but people are often self-centered enough to ignore the reasons why something bad is happening to them, and just complain about the bad thing happening.
Re: Collateral damage. (Score:3)
Re: Collateral damage. (Score:2)
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Possibly because the news media is tightly controlled in Russia, and there are very few media sources reporting what is happening, they're not highly popular, and when they do report "hey there's a war, your kids are dying over there" they suddenly go dark.
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But imagine what the people are thinking if all they see is state controlled media. "Why are the Americans picking on us? All we're doing is attacking the evil Nazis next door who are joyfully welcoming our brave soldiers!"
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No that makes russian users the victims of propaganda...
People notice that something bad is happening, but they don't automatically know why it's happening. Putin controls most of the media in russia, and the putin controlled media is blaming the west, as well as blaming "nazis in ukraine".
The more bad things you do to average russian people, the more evidence you provide that putin can use to convince his people that the west is against them.
If the state controlled russian media is your only source of medi
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Most sane people absolutely would support a war against nazis who are coming to exterminate them, but most russians would not be supportive of a war of aggression against their soviet brothers in ukraine.
The key goal here should not be to punish russians, but to expose them to the truth.
Um, they're exposed. It's called the Internet.
Hence all the Protests in Russia.
Putin is a 1960s autocrat, using outmoded 1960s propaganda and warfare techniques that are largely ineffective against a populace with 21st Century global communication technologies.
TL;DR
Putin is long past his Use or Freeze by Date.
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The answer (so far as I can tell) boils down to this: Putin (and hence Russia) are so much more of a bigger threat than other countries, that this is the perfect opportunity to 'dog pile' them with other nations. Hopefully this will affect meaningful change both short- and long-term, without being 'the aggressor(s),' and hence a sole target for retaliation.
That's all I have.
Re: Collateral damage. (Score:2)
But that is the thing - Russia is a major nuclear power - and that should make people more cautious. Am I the only old guy here? I am barely even 40. I fail to see how any of this is not going to embolden China which is arguably a much bigger nuclear threat, and all I can think of is that it is "far" east so who cares
Re: Collateral damage. (Score:2)
"He sent troops from all directions and called for a negotiation. The ukraine dude stalled for days, then sent his lackeys while himself applying for eu membership on the same day."
Sounds like he is smarter than you. You don't negotiate with a bully who is currently waving a gun in your face unless there is no other option.
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"He sent troops from all directions and called for a negotiation" is a gross mischaracterization. He called for "negotiations" so they can claim that there are negotiations while he drops cluster munitions and thermobaric bombs on civilian targets.
He has no intention of negotiating in good faith, or else he would have negotiated without sending in columns of tanks.
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"He sent troops from all directions and called for a negotiation" is a gross mischaracterization. He called for "negotiations" so they can claim that there are negotiations while he drops cluster munitions and thermobaric bombs on civilian targets.
He has no intention of negotiating in good faith, or else he would have negotiated without sending in columns of tanks.
Exactly!
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What i don't understand is the obsession with ukraine in usa. Not Syria, Armenia not even uyghur. Is it because of "relatively civilized" "blue eyes white skinned" area or just pure anti Russia fanaticsm.
I think there are a number of factors at play. One of them is, yes, anti-Russian fanaticism. Part of it is undoubtedly cold war era mistrust, but being as "internet trolls" and "ransomware attacks" have been coming out of Russia more than most other countries over the past two years, with Putin trying to claim deniability, he hasn't exactly been showering Western audiences with reasons to take his side. Add to this the fact that the invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked, and it's clear that Russia wasn't going
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The reason why Americans are getting so firmly behind Ukraine has been the overwhelming amount of bravery and patriotism they have shown.
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How about past experience? There was this little thing in the past called the Cold War, you know.
The last time the red army marched west it wasn't stopped until it conquered half of Germany. And it occupied that half, and every European nation to the east of Germany, for the better part of 50 years before it was finally dislodged and sent packing. That's in living memory, mind you, not just a chapter in some history book. And Putin has a documented history of openly pining for his 'good old days" of th
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Putin had the whole world negotiating with him and still started a war, upon which the Ukraine asked for negotiations on neutral ground, but Putin refused. Russia had a reputation for blatant lying during the cold war. Old habits die hard, don't they.
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Ukraine sent their Minister of Defense to the negotiation. Russia sent the former Minster of Culture, lol. It was just a sham.
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He sent troops from all directions and called for a negotiation. The ukraine dude stalled for days, then sent his lackeys while himself applying for eu membership on the same day. Nato is supplying weapons for a guerrilla warfare while "anonymous" is hacking Russian websites and guess what it is not just the Russians being censored, it is anyone not pro ukraine on the corporate media, all the while usa is proclaiming that "cyber attack" will lead to nuclear war.
What i don't understand is the obsession with ukraine in usa. Not Syria, Armenia not even uyghur. Is it because of "relatively civilized" "blue eyes white skinned" area or just pure anti Russia fanaticsm.
Nice try, Comrade!
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I agree here. Also, war should never be conducted while the population acts as if nothing different is happening. It reminds me of when US invaded Iraq and the population was told to go about business as usual, "otherwise the terrorists win". That is a wrong-headed approach. The civilians need to feel the effect of the wars their countries are engaged in, and the politicians as well must feel it. If a country has a draft, then all must be subject to the draft, including the children of the rich and powe
Rubles Cheapest.... (Score:2)
Namecheap is "blanket targeting" civilians, instead of going after Russia's government.
All is fair in love and war. ....and Dostoevsky sings the blues.
No sympathy (Score:2, Troll)
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
Yes. If Trump or Biden would invade Mexico in a war of conquest then the same standard should apply.
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
Did Bush junior find the weapons of mass destruction yet in Iraq? I lost track of that.
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
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The US is more powerful than Russia, and most of the international community will kiss up to them, they fabricated evidence of mass destruction and invaded a country, people died. The US is also more of a democracy than Russia so the people are far more responsible than Russians (which in my opinion is still insignificantly so, they where lied to). If you openly oppose Putin in Russia you are likely to disappear. While sanctions should be used to make it so it is difficult as possible for Russia to wage war
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Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
I do wonder why he didn't do the WMD trick himself. He is hinting at it now, but he could have been a lot more creative in that area.
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Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
If America invades someplace then sure, treat us the same way. Except mostly when we do it we have other nations on board for reasons other than expecting us to invade them next.
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
US, we love you, I just get "on my horse" as they say here when people make ruthless extreme statements.
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Yes, dumbass.
Re: No sympathy (Score:2)
Thin line (Score:2)
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The regime has already shown they don't give one tiny little shred of a shit about the people. How anyone thinks punishing the common citizen will affect a regime that barely even notices they exist is beyond me.
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The regime has already shown they don't give one tiny little shred of a shit about the people. How anyone thinks punishing the common citizen will affect a regime that barely even notices they exist is beyond me.
Russian citizens are not facing death like their counterparts in Ukraine. I'd say they are getting off pretty easy as far as being at war goes.
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Sure, they are getting off easy compared to Ukraine citizens, but a lot of Russian citizens have friends, family, or lovers in Ukraine. I don't think there's any reason to go after citizens that didn't want this war to begin with, but I realize the world is hell-bent on everything being a hardline all-in or all-out and there can be no shades in between these days. How does punishing people that the Russian government doesn't care about send a message to the Russian government? I mean, the only possible t
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How does punishing people that the Russian government doesn't care about send a message to the Russian government? I mean, the only possible thing it will accomplish is maybe, MAYBE pissing off the citizens enough to attack their government.
ONLY the Russian people can remove their government. We simply can't do it, we can only encourage them. And there is no way to remove Putin and the oligarchs wealth without such collateral damage. We leveled entire German cities fighting the Nazis in WW2. They are still getting off easy.
Re: Thin line (Score:2)
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So we force them to? Give them no alternative? Ok but then we need to stop pretending we are a democracy.
We are not forcing them to do anything, we are simply adding the real cost of their despotic government to their lives. Kind of like making consumers of fossil fuels pay the full cost of CO2 produced. It is a tax for fucking up the world.
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the only possible thing it will accomplish is maybe, MAYBE pissing off the citizens enough to attack their government. Not that it can't happen, but that's a very dangerous proposition in a modernized country with some fairly sophisticated weaponry at their disposal.
Why?
He can hardly Nuke his own Country. And, after a very short time, even the most hard-line Russian military men will get tired of firing-on their Grandma's Moscow Apartment Building.
Well, tough shit. (Score:2)
OK, but careful with the slippery slope (Score:2)
However, I've also seen single individuals getting fired in Europe because they were Russian and "refused to renounce Putin" (an action which, by the way, could be d
Domains (Score:2)
The ".su" domain is not russian, it represents the former soviet union. Until recently in order to register one, you had to show ID from a former soviet state so while i'm sure many domains are owned by russians, there are also .su domains belonging to people from other countries including ukraine.
and apparently elsewhere too (Score:2)
like in Uzbekistan, because they think Uzbekistan is part of Russia?
https://www.reddit.com/r/mildl... [reddit.com]
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Re:But, but ... (Score:5, Insightful)
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Well, sanctions against Venezuela, no peep. Sanctions for Iran, not a peep. Sanctions for Syria, not a peep. Sanctions against Russia and it's "Woah, slow down, we don't want to hurt the average citizen!!"
More to the story (Score:2)
> Sanctions against Russia and it's "Woah, slow down, we don't want to hurt the average citizen!!"
So, I don't blame them for wanting to protect their people and I feel terrible for the people in this war (and the rest), but one problem is that this was not a well-targeted measure and was made by a guy who said he'd had no sleep for days that also hindered some Russian sites that were working to help people protest against Putin. Yes, he said in the same discussion on HN that he'd make an exception for t
Re: But, but ... (Score:2)
Russians are killing civilians in Ukraine, but Namecheap can't move Russian civilians off their platform?
Not the same Russians.
That's nonsense.
And that's racism.
It's like saying "black people are killing schoolboys in Harlem, so I can't ban black people from my bakery shop? That's nonsense."
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The decision has caused some Russian users to complain they've been unfairly targeted. "Whoever came up with this idea is an idiot and should be fired," wrote one user on Twitter, who claims Namecheap is "blanket targeting" civilians, instead of going after Russia's government.
But ... but ... virtue signaling against civilians is so much easier than trying to do anything against governments! So stop yer complaining!
Can't do much more against the Russian government besides western powers declaring war, and that risks a nuclear war.
So at this point you start pressuring civilians as well. Make sure it's blatantly clear this isn't just some great power struggle where Putin takes his win then things go back to normal. No, what Putin is doing is so outside the bounds that even ordinary Russians must pay the price, or force Putin (or Putin's replacement) to stop.
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I'm not sure pressuring civilians works. At some point they may just start blaming the west, and I am sure that will be the spin from Russia.
When Hitler bombed England, they didn't just give up they just got more resolute. Maybe respecting them as people that have little to no influence over what Putin does, will mean that they will be more likely be on your side.
From what I have observed is when you attack a group of people they generally become more resolute, for example the Ukraine.
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I'm not sure pressuring civilians works. At some point they may just start blaming the west, and I am sure that will be the spin from Russia.
When Hitler bombed England, they didn't just give up they just got more resolute. Maybe respecting them as people that have little to no influence over what Putin does, will mean that they will be more likely be on your side.
From what I have observed is when you attack a group of people they generally become more resolute, for example the Ukraine.
It depends on the kind of pressure and why they're being pressured.
If you're being attacked, clearly without justification, then pressure, particularly physical attacks, builds resilience. Especially since giving up isn't really an option. Consider when the US was attacked in 9/11, it built a ton of resilience.
If your side is doing the attacking, it not only becomes a lot harder to justify your sides actions, but there's now a fairly clear and cost free way to stop the pressure, just stop attacking. Just co
Re: But, but ... (Score:2)
I would hesitate to call something virtue signaling if they're not just talking about it, but actually doing something about it, particularly when it will cost them.
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I would hesitate to call something virtue signaling if they're not just talking about it, but actually doing something about it, particularly when it will cost them.
It's ... literally virtue signalling.
It does literally nothing to stop Russian aggression.
Sure, it will cost them something. Most signalling does, peacock plumage for example.
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If you think losing cheap hosting is bad, know that Russian people are losing access to the world. No harbors or airports to go to. Closed borders. As long as Putin lives, Russians will be excluded from all but the worst countries. Their money will no longer buy foreign goods. And when Putin is gone and if Russia fundamentally reforms, then Russians will still be deeply hated for decades. Think Poland-level distrust and hate, but everywhere you go. Russians are truly fucked if this war continues any longer,
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Judging by much past history, I think you're wrong. Russia will be hated in the Ukraine. Elsewhere folks will soon forget. Unless, of course, it escalates.
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Yep and in my view that is exactly what this so-called 'virtue signalling' is about. It's making it clear to ordinary Russians that, unless they are actively opposing the delusional madman in charge of their country, then they are supporting him. And that comes with some repercussions.
It is entirely within the power of ordinary Russians to get rid of this guy - if they are happy with the status quo and just want to complain about the exchange rate, then it's on them.
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And just *how* are you going to avoid that uncertainty? The only two answers I can think of are:
1) Host your own nameserver.
2) Buy your service extremely locally.
And 1 is just a bit difficult to arrange, since lots of folks are refusing to honor .ru domains.
Re: But, but ... (Score:2)
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Fuck you.
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If I had anything with them I'd pull it [...] because I wouldn't want to see myself in the position where my account is terminated at some point because the company decides they don't like my government.
This is an illustration of a problem I saw another post highlighting, that people want to treat politics as something they can ignore. It breeds the kind of complacency that brings horrible leaders into power, even in progressive nations like the US.
People should worry more about stopping authoritarian regimes from gaining power in their country than complaining about how foreign governments and companies may target their country if such a regime ever comes to power.
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It's not "anti-Russian sentiment". It's just common sense: Why should we be providing Internet services and banking services (not to mention shipping arms and chips and what-not) to Russia so that it can continue killing people?
We all know that this decision isn't fair to Russian citizens, just lik
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Any sanction targets civilians ultimately. It's not something that's new happening now in Russia.
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This is too far with the anti-Russian sentiment, imho.
are you serious?? Russia is threatening nuclear weapons and restricting DNS is going too far? I think you need a reality check. And a shot of tequila.
Re: Blocking opposition sites though? (Score:2)
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Namecheap has already announced that they will keep hosting opposition sites.
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine indeed bears strong resemblance to the Sudetenland in 1938, but I'm glad to see that the US, Canada and the EU have reacted much more strongly. I think we actually may have learned from history.
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Well, fuck Namecheap, then
My thought is exactly the opposite. I will continue to use Namecheap for my domains.
Good people of Namecheap, you have my respect. It may not be much, but it is something.
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I transferred my domain to Namecheap just this last weekend. And there it will stay. I will not begrudge them wanting to not do business with people that are fueling the war machine dropping bombs on children.
You know that Namecheap has many employees in Ukraine, right?
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Yes, but...
There need to be ways back that save face, but it is necessary that Russian end up worse off than before the invasion started. Otherwise the "short term problems" are just part of "the cost of doing business".
Re: Companies should not get political (Score:2)
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Well, you know, that's just like, your opinion man.
You're stating opinions as facts. They are not, they're just your feelings.
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Those people at NameCheap must feel so good now, knowing that they dealt a blow to all them Russians!
82% of NameCheap's employees are Ukranian.
You do the math.