Until recently, GoDaddy was simply an average domain registrar with a terrible user interface and bargain basement web hosting solutions. With their support of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), however, they inadvertently positioned themselves in the crosshairs of frustrated geeks everywhere.

The backlash was swift, with tens of thousands of domains being transferred away in just two days. Some highly visible opponents of the Act made very public pledges about the action they will take. After downplaying the impact of the boycott, GoDaddy publicly withdrew their support for this astonishingly terrible piece of legislation.

The problem, of course, is that the retraction wasn’t a result of their leadership’s change of heart; it was a purely financial calculation.

And as it turns out, GoDaddy has not actually withdrawn their support at all. What’s further, they are exempt from potential shutdowns under SOPA. There is also evidence of GoDaddy temporarily blocking the transfer of domains away from them.

December 29th is Move Your Domain Day, and there will be a mass exodus of GoDaddy customers to registrars like NameCheap and DNSimple, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Resources:

• A step-by-step guide to transferring domains away from GoDaddy
• How to talk to Congress (about SOPA)
• Contact information for companies supporting SOPA
• A glimpse of the Internet under SOPA
• What you should know about DNS