Go Daddy Group Inc. told members of Congress that it will discontinue offering new '.cn' domain registrations in China, following new Chinese government requirements for information about registrants.

Go Daddy, an Internet domain-name registry company, is the first U.S. Internet company to follow in the steps of Google Inc. (GOOG) by cutting back on business in the world's largest market of Internet users.

Go Daddy testified in a hearing before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, dubbed 'Google and Internet Control in China: A Nexus Between Human Rights and Trade?'

Go Daddy was scheduled to testify jointly with Google, Human Rights in China, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and Ambassador Mark Palmer.

In prepared testimony viewed by The Wall Street Journal, Go Daddy Executive Vice President Christine N. Jones said that the company was 'concerned for the security of individuals' affected by the government demand for people to sign up for Internet registrations with a full photo identification.

The government's move would lead to a 'chilling effect' on new domain name registrations, she said.

Rep. Chris Smith praised Go Daddy's move. 'Google fired a shot heard 'round the world, and now a second American company has answered the call to defend the rights of the Chinese people,' he said in the hearing. Go Daddy's move 'is a powerful sign that American IT companies want to do the right thing in repressive countries,' he said.