To: Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Lawmakers, Business Advocacy Groups, and Industry Leaders

The Problem: Businesses Are Losing Control of Their Own Websites
For too long, marketing agencies have taken advantage of business owners by deceptively retaining ownership of their websites and digital assets. This practice is unethical, predatory, and damaging to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and corporations alike.

Imagine paying thousands of dollars for a website, only to realize you don’t actually own it. I’ve seen this firsthand—businesses unknowingly sign contracts that lock them into a "leased" website, meaning that if they ever leave the agency, they lose their entire online presence. Some agencies even convince businesses to ditch fully owned websites in favor of their “proprietary” system, only to later hold them hostage when the contract ends.

With just 30 days' notice, these businesses are left scrambling to build a new website—causing irreversible damage to their online presence and Google rankings.

This is an industry-wide problem. Agencies are intentionally creating dependencies instead of providing real value. Business owners are trapped in renewal cycles out of fear of losing their website and have no legal protections against these deceptive practices.

 
How This Harms Businesses & The Economy
❌ Loss of Website & Customer Base – Businesses forced to rebuild a website from scratch face immediate losses in traffic, customers, and credibility.
❌ Significant Google Ranking Drops – Losing an established website means starting over in search rankings, which can take months or years to recover.
❌ Financial Exploitation – Agencies lock businesses into endless payments for something they should already own.
❌ Small Business Vulnerability – Startups and small businesses are especially at risk, as they often lack the legal and technical knowledge to fight back.

The lack of regulation in digital ownership leaves business owners vulnerable. It’s time to stop deceptive marketing practices and put protections in place to ensure businesses have full control over the digital assets they pay for.

 
What We Demand: Clear Digital Ownership Rights
We call on the FTC, lawmakers, and business advocacy organizations to implement the following protections:

Full Website Ownership Disclosure – Agencies must explicitly state whether a website is owned or leased in plain language before signing contracts.
Domain & Hosting Transparency Laws – Businesses should have the legal right to register domains in their own name and retain access to hosting accounts.
Minimum 90-Day Transition Period – Agencies must provide at least 90 days’ notice before terminating website access, allowing businesses to transition smoothly.
Legal Recourse for Digital Hostage Situations – Agencies that fail to disclose ownership limitations should face penalties and be held accountable for deceptive business practices.
 
Why This Matters & How You Can Help
I have worked with business owners who were blindsided by these unethical tactics. They had no idea they didn’t own their own websites until it was too late. Their rankings tanked, their leads disappeared, and they were left with no recourse.

This is why I am fighting for change—not just for my clients, but for every business owner who has been taken advantage of by predatory agencies.

We need your voice to make this happen. By signing this petition, you are taking a stand to protect businesses from unethical digital ownership practices and to demand transparency in the marketing industry.

📢 SIGN NOW to help bring this issue to lawmakers and create industry-wide change. Let’s put an end to digital hostage situations and give business owners the control they deserve over their online presence.