Re: [cobalt-users] Off topic: Legal question concerning suspended hosting accounts

[Rik Thomas <rikt@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 10 Apr 2000, Steven Werby wrote:

> My question isn't Cobalt related, but it is web hosting related so there are a
> lot of list members who have the experience to answer my question.  I recently
> suspended the account of a web hosting client who was delinquent on two payments
> and had been promising payment, but had not delivered.  I took his site offline
> and redirected all web requests to a page with the following message: "site.tld
> has been suspended due to non-payment."  36 hours later the client called to
> tell me he was sending a check via FedEx.  He also claimed that he had talked to
> his lawyer and his lawyer said that my posting of a statement like that was
> illegal b/c (in his words) "You can't disclose a client's financial status
> publicly.  It's illegal."  I have since modified the statement to appease the
> client.  My goal was to get the client's attention so I was successful.  But,
> was the message I posted illegal?  I suppose I could have said "site.tld has
> been suspended due to violation of company policies".  Or is that illegal too?
> 
> Steven Werby {steven-lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx}


I believe the lawyer is correct.  Just like you can't have public
blacklists.  There have been people who have sued small shops who posted
checks on the walls that were bad.  I even think there was a "Seinfeld"
eposode about it!  :)

Our policy is to redirect the suspended sites to a generic
underconstruction page advertising our services.  To get an idea of what
ours looks like go to http://uc.delaware.net


-- 
Rik Thomas CTO rikt@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Delaware.Net, Inc. http://www.delaware.net
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