Domain History & Restoration
The Seizure (2010)
This domain, b2corder.com, was originally seized by United States federal authorities in June 2010 as part of "Operation In Our Sites V2.0" This initiative, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Justice, targeted websites involved in copyright infringement and the sale of counterfeit goods. This marked the first large scale seizure operation undertaken by any national law enforcement organisation, A sequel to “Operation In Our Sites” which took place earlier that year targeting online piracy websites.
The Acquisition
For years I’ve wanted to own a historical domain, Many of the big “Trophy” Seizures won’t ever go up for sale, Megaupload, TPB, NinjaVideo, all of the original names and big ones will most likely sit on a government server taking up KB of space for decades. I routnily run searches for domains to see if any have lappsed and luckily this one lapsed in early June so I managed to snag it up. Most of the other domains from “Operation In Our Sites v2.0” are still held by the government but this one mustn’t have been valuable enough for them.
Why It Matters
The seizure of this domain represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of digital rights and internet governance. By maintaining this page, I aim to document the history of the "Operation In Our Sites" campaign and the permanence of digital footprints. This site now serves as a digital museum piece, standing as a record of the internet landscape of the early 2010s.