What the hell is going on with .uk? Dozens of domain names sold in error, then reversed, but we'll say no more about it, says oversight org

The perilous state of the UK's internet space has been exposed once again, as the second largest seller of .uk domain names admitted last night it wrongly sold dozens of valuable internet addresses. Eagle-eyed dot-UK registry watchers noticed unexpected changes in ownership of various .uk names over the weekend – including …

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And next year?

Will all the .uk domains be switched to .brexit? After all, if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave the UK (too many "remainers" in the UK saying that Scotland and Northern Ireland should remain in the UK), then the .uk domain may expire.

[John Hawkins]

Re: And next year?

I think '.fuk' ("formerly united kingdom") would be better as it only has three characters instead of six. It could even be considered appropriate for today's situation.

[Anonymous Coward]

Charity?

It seems charity begins at dot uk.

[Mike 137]

Business as usual these day?

Seems like dirty business all round - "love of money is the root of all evil". However the parties to this debacle are not alone - it's increasingly obvious that conflict of interest is the foundation on which profitable business is now built.

[Insert sadsack pun here]

Re: Business as usual these day?

"One person who bagged one of the erroneously transferred .uk domain names is even standing for Nominet’s board in an election due to start next week."

That is a remarkably unfortunate coincidence.

[Chris G]

Tobacco Road

Regarding Nominet et al.

In the words if the Nashville Teens

" Bring dynamite,

And a shovel,

Blow it up

Start all over again.

[cipnt]

Re: Tobacco Road

Start with CEO Russell Haworth

[MarkSitkowski]

Re: Tobacco Road

'Crane', not 'shovel' (I still have the record...)

[Chris G]

Re: Tobacco Road

I have been making that mistake for over 50 years, too late to change I suppose.

[Doctor Syntax]

In error

The old error: expecting nobody would notice.

[sitta_europea]

"Something is rotten in the state..."

[Efer Brick]

putting the UK into

F*uk*ishima

[Coastal cutie]

Nine bob note

Bent as a.........

["Dead Eye"]

It seems that Nominet are behaving is a way that fits very well with current government behaviour. I'm just waiting for them to explain that they have only broken the rules in a specific and limited way...

[Anonymous Coward]

Second level .uk domains

The decision to sell second-level .uk domains was a rogue's charter all round, buyers as well as sellers. Witness how the owners of col.uk are basically typo-squatting the whole .co.uk namespace.

[Anonymous Coward]

Intervened....

"We have intervened to ensure that any domains which have also been transferred to different registrars are reinstated to the correct registrant"

The evidence would appear to say that's not the case. and that it was a lot more than 38 domains.

[N2]

Smacks of

The DROE/A/C shoddy operations to me, I thought the mal practice of domain squatting was outlawed years ago and FH deserve a red hot poker where the sun doesnt shine.

[Insert sadsack pun here]

£593,000?!?!?!?!?! WTAAAF?

[Robert Carnegie]

www.nhs.uk

is quite a significant brand just now...

[RM Myers]

More proof

That running a nonprofit can be very profitable.

[Claverhouse]

Just A Clerical Error

In every instance where they have been found to have made a mistake they will do the right thing.

[Anonymous Coward]

If they ever tried shenanigans like this with the .us domain, it wouldn't work.

Because nobody uses .us for anything. Surprising what with all the flag waving, I know, but the .us TLD is mostly ignored.