Needless to say, I don't get involved in petty criminal activity such as click fraud.
Our websites are designed to compliment our offline work. Some of them indeed function purely to draw attention to our work with kids at risk and our other community work. It would make no sense at all for me to put all that in jeopardy just to pick up a few extra cents by clicking on my own parked domains, even if I had the inclination to do so!
Yet I received an email from GoDaddy a few months back, telling me that I had violated the terms of my Cash Parking agreement through click fraud and that:
- 1. My account had been permanently suspended
- 2. All my earnings up to this point were being withheld
- 3. That I was not permitted to discuss or debate the decision!
The accusations of course were outrageous. Even so, what was far more outrageous, from my point of view, was the fact that I was being refused any right to protest my innocence!
I was told quite explicity that the matter was not open for debate. I had been found guilty. The judgement had been handed down, the punishment was being meted out, and under no circumstances was I to be given the right to defend myself!
Over the coming months, I tried to dialogue with GoDaddy. While avoiding contesting their decision, I tried to discuss the broader issues that I saw at stake here, and at least gain clarification of my position. GoDaddy did not seem to be keen to dialogue with me at all. In one instance I waited almost a month to receive a reply. I also tried phoning them, but was told that such matters could only be dealt with by email!
Anyway, here on this site you'll find the brief chronicle of my dialogue with GoDaddy. I've presented it as a series of rounds in a fight, but I'm afraid it's a fight where I am a lightweight, completely outmatched and outlcassed by a far more powerful opponent.
This information is posted as a warning for all who do business with GoDaddy. Pass the word around. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.