GoDaddy warns India's fake-site crackdown could backfire

This article was published on July 3, 2026 India's crackdown on brand-impersonating websites orders domain sellers to strip away default privacy and hand over owners' details on request. GoDaddy, the world's biggest registrar, is fighting back, warning of global fallout and a clash with GDPR. A larger bench hears the appeal on 16 July. The world’s biggest seller of website addresses says a court order in India could make the internet less safe. GoDaddy is fighting new rules meant to stop fake sites impersonating famous brands. It warns the cure could expose millions of legitimate site owners, and not only in India. The order came from the Delhi High Court. In December, the court blocked more than 1,100 websites posing as well-known companies. Then a judge went further, issuing sweeping measures that tech experts say rewrite how the internet is governed. GoDaddy has challenged them before a larger bench, according to non-public filings reviewed by Reuters, which broke the story. Three changes stand out. Domain sellers can no longer offer free privacy protection by default. They must hand a buyer’s contact details to anyone with a “legitimate interest” within 72 hours. And the rules