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Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

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Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#21

Post by ml-engineer »

tssva wrote: post #20
ml-engineer wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely not! We use double opt-in, with explicit subscribe call to action. We are fully GDPR/CCPA compliant.

If the content of your email or frequency of emails is not inline with the expectation of subscribers when they subscribed, some will report the emails as spam regardless of the steps you documented.

Sure, we have been doing this for several years so we are aware of these pitfalls. The issue is the way Google has been handling this case. There is no process, no communication. They have made extreme threats, with nothing to back it up, no way to respond.

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#22

Post by throwaddzuzxd »

qmarchi wrote: post #17

Heyo, Googler here. Can you shoot me an email to with your domain information? I'll forward it where I can and hope we can figure out what's going on. I unfortunately can promise anything, but I'll try my hardest! Disc: I work at Google, but not near Domains. EDIT: removed email as I got the info I needed!

Can you instead push for giving your *customers* the ability to actually contact you in case of a problem? It's shameful that the only way to contact one of the biggest megacorp is being noticed by an employee on Hacker News.

FWIW, in the case of a domain, this might be an ICANN breach (if OP's domain is a gTLD) or a registry breach (if it's a ccTLD). You HAVE TO be contactable and you HAVE TO reply. If you don't comply to the rules Google Domains might in theory lose its accreditation.

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#23

Post by throwaddzuzxd »

DoItToMe81 wrote: post #15

There's nothing you can do. Google will not listen unless there's giant public outcry. I would recommend going with a more proven registrar and trying your hardest to inform your community of the new domain before it's too late.

Note that in the case of domain names Google is not all powerful. The ICANN and the ccTLD registries are. If Google threatens you and your domain and doesn't let you appeal, you can (and should!) contact both the registry directly and the ICANN if the TLD is not a ccTLD (> 2 characters)

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#24

Post by throwaddzuzxd »

ml-engineer wrote: post #9
readonthegoapp wrote: post #8

Maybe obvious and or stupid But can you transfer the domain?

We could not transfer the domain. I would like to because the whole community is currently being threatened. Not to mention, personally it could result in "termination of your account," the Google account that I have been using for more than a decade (for my emails, cell phone, wallet, etc)!

> We could not transfer the domain

Depending on the TLD that might be a contractual breach between Google and the registry. I would suggest reading the TOS of the extension on the registry's website and complain if Google breaches them. Sometimes it's forbidden to the registrar to prevent a transfer, even when there's a dispute.

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#25

Post by ml-engineer »

throwaddzuzxd wrote: post #22
qmarchi wrote: post #17

Heyo, Googler here. Can you shoot me an email to with your domain information? I'll forward it where I can and hope we can figure out what's going on. I unfortunately can promise anything, but I'll try my hardest! Disc: I work at Google, but not near Domains. EDIT: removed email as I got the info I needed!

Can you instead push for giving your *customers* the ability to actually contact you in case of a problem? It's shameful that the only way to contact one of the biggest megacorp is being noticed by an employee on Hacker News. FWIW, in the case of a domain, this might be an ICANN breach (if OP's domain is a gTLD) or a registry breach (if it's a ccTLD). You HAVE TO be contactable and you HAVE TO reply. If you don't com…

Indeed! We have contacted them 15 times, and provided as much detail as possible for case resolution. Forty-two hours later, we have yet to receive a single reply! It's truly astonishing.

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#26

Post by devwastaken »

throwaddzuzxd wrote: post #22
qmarchi wrote: post #17

Heyo, Googler here. Can you shoot me an email to with your domain information? I'll forward it where I can and hope we can figure out what's going on. I unfortunately can promise anything, but I'll try my hardest! Disc: I work at Google, but not near Domains. EDIT: removed email as I got the info I needed!

Can you instead push for giving your *customers* the ability to actually contact you in case of a problem? It's shameful that the only way to contact one of the biggest megacorp is being noticed by an employee on Hacker News. FWIW, in the case of a domain, this might be an ICANN breach (if OP's domain is a gTLD) or a registry breach (if it's a ccTLD). You HAVE TO be contactable and you HAVE TO reply. If you don't com…

I guarantee the actual teams on these systems want there to be a support network. Google bosses do not. There's no way internal teams are going to overcome that decision.

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#29

Post by ml-engineer »

throwaddzuzxd wrote: post #24
ml-engineer wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We could not transfer the domain. I would like to because the whole community is currently being threatened. Not to mention, personally it could result in "termination of your account," the Google account that I have been using for more than a decade (for my emails, cell phone, wallet, etc)!

> We could not transfer the domain Depending on the TLD that might be a contractual breach between Google and the registry. I would suggest reading the TOS of the extension on the registry's website and complain if Google breaches them. Sometimes it's forbidden to the registrar to prevent a transfer, even when there's a dispute.

Thank you, thank you for suggesting this!

Re: Ask HN: Suspended by Google Domains

#30

Post by ml-engineer »

throwaddzuzxd wrote: post #22
qmarchi wrote: post #17

Heyo, Googler here. Can you shoot me an email to with your domain information? I'll forward it where I can and hope we can figure out what's going on. I unfortunately can promise anything, but I'll try my hardest! Disc: I work at Google, but not near Domains. EDIT: removed email as I got the info I needed!

Can you instead push for giving your *customers* the ability to actually contact you in case of a problem? It's shameful that the only way to contact one of the biggest megacorp is being noticed by an employee on Hacker News. FWIW, in the case of a domain, this might be an ICANN breach (if OP's domain is a gTLD) or a registry breach (if it's a ccTLD). You HAVE TO be contactable and you HAVE TO reply. If you don't com…

Thank you. I have submitted a report to the ICANN Complaints Office (https://www.icann.org/complaints-office).
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