GoDaddy, the world’s largest internet domain registrar, has warned that India’s crackdown on fake websites impersonating well-known brands could make the internet less safe for legitimate businesses and have far-reaching global consequences.
The warning comes as India intensifies efforts to combat online fraud, which has surged alongside rapid smartphone and internet adoption. Government data shows authorities received 2.4 million cyber fraud complaints worth an estimated $2.4 billion last year.
The legal dispute stems from lawsuits filed since 2019 by several Indian and international companies, including Amazon and McDonald’s, against fraudulent websites misusing their brand names. In December, an Indian court ordered more than 1,100 such websites to be blocked.
The court also introduced sweeping measures requiring domain registrars to stop providing privacy protection by default, disclose domain owners’ details to anyone with a “legitimate interest” within 72 hours, and prevent registration of website addresses resembling protected brand names.
US-based GoDaddy has challenged the directives before a larger bench of the Delhi High Court, arguing the measures could adversely affect legitimate businesses with names similar to established brands.
According to court filings reviewed by Reuters, GoDaddy said removing default privacy protections would expose website owners’ personal information—including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses—to potential risks such as harassment and stalking.
The company also argued that because domain names operate globally rather than within national borders, the ruling could effectively require registrars to regulate website registrations worldwide.
GoDaddy further said it lacks the authority and practical ability to determine who qualifies as having a “legitimate interest” when requesting domain registration details within the court-mandated 72-hour deadline.
In its appeal, GoDaddy described the directives as “commercially destabilising” and warned they could force domain registration companies to exit the Indian market.
The Indian government and GoDaddy did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
GoDaddy manages around 80 million domain names, serves more than 20 million customers worldwide, and generated annual revenue of approximately $5 billion. Company executives have previously identified India as its largest emerging market.
Other domain registration companies, including Namecheap and Hosting Concepts, have also challenged the Delhi High Court ruling, according to court records, although details of their appeals remain unavailable.
The broader case originated after more than 20 companies, including Amazon, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Xiaomi, and Colgate-Palmolive, sought judicial intervention against fake websites they said were damaging their brands. None of the companies responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
