GoDaddy Warns India’s Fake Website Crackdown Could Have Global Impact on Internet Governance

GoDaddy, the world’s largest internet domain registrar, has challenged an Indian court’s sweeping directives aimed at curbing fake websites that impersonate well-known brands. The company argues that the measures, introduced after lawsuits filed by firms including Amazon and McDonald’s, could undermine internet privacy, harm legitimate businesses and reshape global internet governance. The case comes as India intensifies efforts to combat rising cyber fraud, which has generated millions of complaints in recent years.

The Delhi High Court’s ruling requires domain registrars to stop offering free privacy protection by default, disclose domain owner details to anyone with a “legitimate interest” within 72 hours, and prevent registration of website names that resemble protected trademarks. GoDaddy says these rules could expose legitimate website owners to privacy risks such as harassment and stalking while placing an unrealistic burden on registrars to determine who qualifies as having a legitimate interest. The company also argues that the directives conflict with India’s data protection law and the European Union’s GDPR privacy rules.

GoDaddy warned that the court order could force domain registrars to regulate website names globally and may even prompt some companies to exit the Indian market. Rivals including Namecheap and Hosting Concepts have also challenged the ruling. The appeals are scheduled to be heard by the Delhi High Court on July 16, as the legal battle continues over balancing cybercrime prevention with internet privacy and business rights.

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