NearlyFreeSpeech
{{short description|Web hosting provider and domain name registrar}}
{{Infobox company
| name = NearlyFreeSpeech
| logo = NearlyFreeSpeech_logo.gif
| type = Private company
| industry = Web hosting service, Cloud computing service, Cloud storage service, Domain name registrar
| area_served = Worldwide
| foundation = {{start date and age|2002}}
U.S.
| location =
| key_people =
| products = Web and cloud services
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/}}
}}
NearlyFreeSpeech is a privately funded, US-based, low cost web hosting provider and domain name registrar that began in 2002. It was started in response to concerns about the entry of large companies into Internet publishing, and to promote freedom of speech.{{Cite web |date=February 2002 |title=Our Beliefs - 2002 |url=https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/belief2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613114008/https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/belief2002 |archive-date=2010-06-13 |access-date=January 8, 2020 |website=NearlyFreeSpeech.net}}{{Cite web |date=2005 |title=Our Beliefs - 2005 |url=https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/belief2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613113506/https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/belief2005 |archive-date=2010-06-13 |access-date=January 8, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/|title=About NearlyFreeSpeech.NET|website=www.nearlyfreespeech.net|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2019-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430211827/https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/about/|url-status=live}}
History
In September 2006, Jeffrey D. Wheelhouse registered the NearlyFreeSpeech trademark.{{Cite web |title=NEARLYFREESPEECH Trademark of WHEELHOUSE, JEFFREY D. - Registration Number 3261072 - Serial Number 78966497 :: Justia Trademarks |url=http://trademarks.justia.com/789/66/nearlyfreespeech-78966497.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=trademarks.justia.com |language=en}}
= Endorsements =
By 2008, Michael Hemmingson of San Diego Reader wrote that the Electronic Frontier Foundation suggested using services such as NearlyFreeSpeech.net and Tor software to avoid being fired for blogging.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/sep/03/city-light-2/|title=Blogging keeps you from being hired and gets you fired|last=Hemmingson|first=Michael|date=September 3, 2008|website=www.sandiegoreader.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}} In 2009 Shawn Powers of Linux Journal reviewed Nearly Free Speech and recommended them over GoDaddy even after having some technical issues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/nearly-free-speech|title=Nearly Free Speech {{!}} Linux Journal|last=Powers|first=Shawn|date=January 30, 2009|website=www.linuxjournal.com|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2019-08-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813123152/https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/nearly-free-speech|url-status=live}} In 2010 Jason Fitzpatrick of LifeHacker.com listed Nearly Free Speech as first of "Five Best Personal Web Hosts" and said they were unusual because of their incremental billing based on usage.{{Cite web|url=https://lifehacker.com/five-best-personal-web-hosts-5545568|title=Five Best Personal Web Hosts|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Jason|date=May 23, 2010|website=Lifehacker|language=en-us|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2019-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214104733/https://lifehacker.com/five-best-personal-web-hosts-5545568|url-status=live}} In a similar 2012 "top five" list by Alan Henry of LifeHacker.com, Nearly Free Speech was given "honorable mention" and he said they offer exceptional hosting plans for as low as $0.25, and promise to only make you pay for what you use.{{Cite web|url=https://lifehacker.com/five-best-web-hosting-companies-5911651|title=Five Best Web Hosting Companies|last=Henry|first=Alan|date=May 20, 2012|website=Lifehacker|language=en-us|access-date=2020-01-08}}
In 2010 in "Twitter Application Development For Dummies", Dusty Reagan recommended Nearly Free Speech for learning PHP development.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V_tf644oVQAC&pg=PA25|title=Twitter Application Development For Dummies|last=Reagan|first=Dusty|date=2010-02-16|publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-63265-9|pages=25|language=en}} In 2010 Cody Fink of MacStories.net, describing how to install Fever in 10 minutes, called Nearly Free Speech, "an amazing hosting solution that's relatively cheap, especially for light use."{{Cite web|url=https://www.macstories.net/tutorials/how-anyone-can-install-fever-in-ten-minutes/|title=How Anyone can Install Fever in Ten Minutes|last=Fink|first=Cody|date=July 15, 2010|website=Mac Stories|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2019-06-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606074525/https://www.macstories.net/tutorials/how-anyone-can-install-fever-in-ten-minutes/|url-status=live}} In 2012 in "Handbook of Research on Didactic Strategies and Technologies for Education" Nearly Free Speech was cited as a "pay as you go" service, which could reduce costs significantly.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0d0cu9Y_uhEC&pg=PA215|title=Handbook of Research on Didactic Strategies and Technologies for Education: Incorporating Advancements: Incorporating Advancements|last=Pumilia-Gnarini|first=Paolo M.|date=2012-09-30|publisher=IGI Global|isbn=978-1-4666-2123-7|language=en}} In 2013, Nearly Free Speech was used for a low-cost promotion involving the posting of indie Zelda-alike game Anodyne on The Pirate Bay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/anodynes-pirate-bay-ad-netted-them-many-monies|title=Anodyne's Pirate Bay ad netted them many monies|last=Benson|first=Julian|date=2013|website=PCGamesN|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-08}}
= Controversies =
== BugMeNot controversy ==
In 2004 Matt Hines of CNET said Nearly Free Speech supported BugMeNot against take-down attempts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/bugmenot-pesters-onward/|title=BugMeNot pesters onward|last=Hines|first=Matt|date=August 23, 2004|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2015-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709201828/http://www.cnet.com/news/bugmenot-pesters-onward/|url-status=live}} Kevin Newcomb of clickz.com wrote that Texas-based NearlyFreeSpeech.net spokesman Jeff Wheelhouse said, "NearlyFreeSpeech.NET supports and defends the free expression rights of www.bugmenot.com and all our members to the very limit of its terms of service."{{Cite web|url=https://www.clickz.com/host-big-traffic-not-big-media-responsible-for-bugmenot-shutdown/85337/|title=Host: Big Traffic, Not Big Media Responsible for Bugmenot Shutdown|date=2004-08-24|website=ClickZ|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08}}
BugMeNot's move to the Nearly Free Speech provider, which also hosts a number of highly controversial sites, prompted BugMeNot's creator to say, "Personally, I don't care if I'm sharing a server with neo-Nazis. I might not agree with what they have to say, but the whole thing about freedom of speech is that people are free to speak."Jardin, Xeni. "[http://www.boingboing.net/2004/08/20/bugmenotcom_returns_.html Bugmenot.com returns, spokesbugperson says some news sites trying to block it] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040831033223/http://www.boingboing.net/2004/08/20/bugmenotcom_returns_.html|date=August 31, 2004}}". Boing Boing. August 20, 2004.
== Badger Killers website controversy ==
In 2012, Kelly Fiveash of The Register said US-based hosting firm Nearly Free Speech resisted UK government attempts to take down the Badger-Killers website, which had personal details of persons deemed to be badger cull supporters, including politicians, farmers and professors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/12/uk_gov_requests_removal_of_cull_supporter_names_from_badger_killers_website_hosted_in_us/|title=UK.gov tries to close site giving home addresses of badger cull figures|last=Fiveash|first=Kelly|date=October 12, 2012|website=www.theregister.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2020-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111200639/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/12/uk_gov_requests_removal_of_cull_supporter_names_from_badger_killers_website_hosted_in_us/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://blog.nearlyfreespeech.net/2012/10/06/official-uk-government-attempt-at-censorship/|title=NearlyFreeSpeech.NET Blog » Official UK government attempt at censorship|website=blog.nearlyfreespeech.net|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2019-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617080736/https://blog.nearlyfreespeech.net/2012/10/06/official-uk-government-attempt-at-censorship/|url-status=live}}
== Alt-right and other controversies ==
In 2017, Ali Breland of theHill.com described how NearlyFreeSpeech's commitment was tested in the 2012 badger culling website case. She also quoted the CEO of alt-right Twitter alternative Gab, who said that NearlyFreeSpeech might be a "safe haven" for his website after their web host gave them five days to transfer their domain.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/351169-alt-right-twitter-rival-might-lose-its-domain|title=Alt-right Twitter rival may lose its web domain|last=Breland|first=Ali|date=2017-09-18|website= The Hill|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-date=2020-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111200628/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/351169-alt-right-twitter-rival-might-lose-its-domain|url-status=live}} In 2017 in Media Law, Ethics, and Policy in the Digital Age, NearlyFreeSpeech's policy of not shutting down site services without a court order made them the hosting choice for Crocels News after other services shutdown their services during a defamation dispute.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YJvgDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA153|title=Media Law, Ethics, and Policy in the Digital Age|last1=Mhiripiri|first1=Nhamo|last2=Tendai|first2=Chari|date=2017-01-10|publisher=IGI Global|isbn=978-1-5225-2096-2|location=|pages=150, 153|language=en}} In 2019 in Technical Blogging: Amplify Your Influence, Antonio Cangiano "wholeheartedly" recommended Nearly Free Speech as registrar and webhost for controversial content.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vOKiDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT82|title=Technical Blogging: Amplify Your Influence|last=Cangiano|first=Antonio|date=2019-06-21|publisher=Pragmatic Bookshelf|isbn=978-1-68050-713-3|language=en}}
In January 2021, NearlyFreeSpeech published a statement on their response to a surge in business and communications from "racists." The statement was intended to clarify their positions on "free speech," refusal to host illegal content, careful cooperation with law enforcement, and opposition of racism, hatred and bigotry.{{Cite web|title=NearlyFreeSpeech.NET Blog » Free Speech in 2021|url=https://blog.nearlyfreespeech.net/2021/01/19/free-speech-in-2021/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=blog.nearlyfreespeech.net|archive-date=2021-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213094243/https://blog.nearlyfreespeech.net/2021/01/19/free-speech-in-2021/|url-status=live}}
References
External links
{{Portal|Companies}}
- {{Official website|www.nearlyfreespeech.net}}
{{WebManTools}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:NearlyFreeSpeech}}
Category:Employee-owned companies of the United States