<html><head><style id="css_styles" type="text/css">blockquote.cite { margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right:0px; border-left: 1px solid #cccccc }
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}</style></head><body><div>small tweak suggested for last paragraph</div><div><br /></div><div><div id="x035a80a7bf3b4712bdbe4de9270fd0bf"><div style="zoom: 0.9;"><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="background-color:transparent"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Given this background, and ISOC’s stated commitments to transparency and openness, we are unable to reconcile the path that [<b>you have] ISOC has</b> taken with the values we thought ISOC espoused. Accordingly, we call upon ISOC to withdraw from its negotiations with Ethos Capital, and to withdraw from selling PIR, so to honor its charter.</span></span></i></span></p></div></div></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>------ Original Message ------</div>
<div>From: "Ayden Férdeline" <<a href="mailto:ayden@ferdeline.com">ayden@ferdeline.com</a>></div>
<div>To: "Sheetal Kumar" <<a href="mailto:sheetal@gp-digital.org">sheetal@gp-digital.org</a>></div>
<div>Cc: "parminder" <<a href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net">parminder@itforchange.net</a>>; "Imran Ahmed Shah" <<a href="mailto:ias_pk@yahoo.com">ias_pk@yahoo.com</a>>; "<a href="mailto:governance@lists.riseup.net">governance@lists.riseup.net</a>" <<a href="mailto:governance@lists.riseup.net">governance@lists.riseup.net</a>></div>
<div>Sent: 12/12/2019 5:15:38 AM</div>
<div>Subject: Re: [governance] Proposed statement on .ORG sale</div><div><br /></div>
<div id="xb84d22c07d26413"><blockquote cite="ag-prvUD7UOvPQfcj2rSspLCwwVrcAprTCtclO7Z96b6s6DZjE-U9zZG6MujZkOKf_XDvZrF97QdG4QrUZLd8HydT_gcILX7tbI2fnFJ4JY=@ferdeline.com" type="cite" class="cite2">
<div>Hi all,<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for all the friendly amendments.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I want to make sure that I have captured all of them.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please find below attached an updated version of our proposed statement to send to the ISOC Board.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I would also suggest that we affix a short paragraph, to the very end, explaining who the Internet Governance Caucus is and what we represent. I will send some proposed language under separate cover so we can wordsmith this separately. This, I hope, will address the comment asking who 'we' is in the context of this letter.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you again.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Best wishes,<br /></div><div>Ayden Férdeline<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>==========<br /></div><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">To: Gonzalo Camarillo, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Internet Society</span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">As members of a network which encompasses many non-commercial organizations and individuals, we are concerned by the announcement that Ethos Capital intends to acquire the assets of the Public Interest Registry (PIR) from the Internet Society (ISOC), including the .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG Registry Agreements. We ask that this sale be called off. </span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Principally, we are concerned that the sale of PIR to a private entity investment firm would significantly alter the Domain Name System and weaken ISOC. PIR played an important role, as the only remaining non-commercial top-level domain registry operator, in serving as a counterbalance against commercial exploitation. PIR ran .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG for the benefit of its users, whereas other top-level domains are run by private companies with purely financial objectives. While the interests of companies and users do at times overlap, they can also conflict, and when this occurs there are significant human rights implications. PIR, as a subsidiary of ISOC, could be relied upon to do what was best for domain name registrants, and has a proud history of doing just that. However, PIR also gave ISOC greater legitimacy and wider influence. It allowed ISOC to take an even more active role in shaping Internet infrastructure. In relinquishing its control over PIR, ISOC would lose some of its ability to directly impact how millions of people around the world positively experience the Internet every day, and we think that is a great pity.</span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">We understand that Ethos Capital approached ISOC with an offer in September 2019 and that an agreement had been reached to sell PIR by November 2019. This secret process caught us, and everyone, unaware, not just of the transaction but of the urgency to divest of PIR. </span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">We join ICANN in its 9 December 2019 letter calling for ISOC to be more transparent about the proposed sale of PIR. We ask that ISOC commit to publishing on its website all correspondence and documents exchanged with ICANN in relation to the proposed change in control of PIR. In addition, we ask that ISOC commit to publishing on its website any filings (including motions and petitions) in the Pennsylvania Orphans' Court relating to the change in status of the PIR.</span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">We expect an organization that operates in the public interest, and who promotes the values of openness, trust, and transparency, to be coherent with those values when making major decisions. </span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">This is a major decision that would result in a significant change, for ISOC and for the Internet community, and it has been proposed a) without a human rights impact assessment being conducted, b) without consultation with impacted stakeholders, and c) without appropriate safeguards in place to protect the interests of .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG registrants and the people who visit their websites every day. </span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">ISOC has successfully stewarded .ORG via PIR for 17 years, gaining a reputation as a careful manager of a resource that truly is the global home for nonprofits and the noncommercial community. Given this background, and ISOC’s stated commitments to transparency and openness, we are unable to reconcile the path that you have taken with the values we thought ISOC espoused. Accordingly, we call upon ISOC to withdraw from its negotiations with Ethos Capital, and to withdraw from selling PIR, so to honor its charter.</span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><b><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">About the Internet Governance Caucus</span></span></i></b></span></span></span><br /></p><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">[Description to go here]</span></span></i></span></span></span><br /></div><div class="protonmail_signature_block"><div class="protonmail_signature_block-proton protonmail_signature_block-empty"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐<br /></div><div> On Wednesday, December 11, 2019 4:04 PM, Sheetal Kumar <<a href="mailto:sheetal@gp-digital.org">sheetal@gp-digital.org</a>> wrote:<br /></div><div> <br /></div><blockquote class="protonmail_quote" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div>Dear all, <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The public outcry against the sale is clearly picking up momentum, and having results. With thanks to Ayden for proposing the following text, this is a timely moment for us to add our voices and increase pressure!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please provide your views on the following text by <b><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 255)"><u>COP tomorrow, 12 December</u></span></b>. I suggest we try and send the letter on Friday, 13 December. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In particular, you may want to consider the following questions<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1) Is there anything you think you should be added to the text? If so, can you provide a rationale and some suggested text? <br /></div><div>2) Is there anything you think should be removed? If so, can you provide a rationale? <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Best<br /></div><div>Sheetal.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>To: Gonzalo Camarillo, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Internet Society</i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">As
members of a network which encompasses many non-commercial
organizations and individuals, we are concerned by the announcement that
Ethos Capital </span></span><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">intends to acquire</span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"> the assets of the Public Interest Registry (PIR) from the Internet
Society (ISOC), including the .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG Registry Agreements.
We ask that this sale be called off. </span></span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><span><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>Principally,
we are concerned that the sale of PIR to a private entity investment
firm will significantly alter the Domain Name System and weaken ISOC.
PIR played an important role, as the only remaining non-commercial
top-level domain registry operator, in serving as a counterbalance
against commercial exploitation. PIR ran .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG for the
benefit of its users, whereas other top-level domains are run by private
companies with purely financial objectives. While the interests of
companies and users do at times overlap, they can also conflict, and
when this occurs there are significant human rights implications. PIR,
as a subsidiary of ISOC, could be relied upon to do what was best for
domain name registrants, and has a proud history of doing just that.
However, PIR also gave ISOC legitimacy and influence. It allowed ISOC to
take an active role in shaping Internet infrastructure. In
relinquishing its control over PIR, ISOC would lose its ability to
directly impact how millions of people around the world positively
experience the Internet every day, and we think that is a great pity.</i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>We
understand that Ethos Capital approached ISOC with an offer in
September 2019 and that an agreement had been reached to sell PIR by
November 2019. This secret process caught us, and everyone, unaware, not
just of the transaction but of the urgency to divest of PIR. </i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">We
join ICANN in its 9 December 2019 letter calling for ISOC to be more
transparent about the proposed sale of PIR. We ask that ISOC commit to
publishing on its website all correspondence and documents exchanged
with ICANN in relation to the proposed change in control of PIR. In
addition, we ask that ISOC commit to publishing on its website any
filings (including motions and petitions) in the Pennsylvania Orphans'
Court relating to the change in status of the PIR.</span></i></span></span></span><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)"></span></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">We
expect an organization that operates in the public interest, and who
promotes the values of openness, trust, and transparency, to be open and
transparent about major decisions. </span></i></span></span></span><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)"></span></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">This is a major decision </span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">that
will result in a significant change, for ISOC and for the Internet
community, and it has been proposed a) without a human rights impact
assessment being conducted, b) without consultation with impacted
stakeholders, and c) without appropriate safeguards in place to protect
the interests of .ORG, .NGO, and .ONG registrants and the people who
visit their websites every day. </span></span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">ISOC
has successfully stewarded .ORG via PIR for 17 years, gaining a
reputation as a careful manager of a resource that truly is the global
home for nonprofits and the noncommercial community. Given this
background, and ISOC’s stated commitments to transparency and openness,
we are unable to reconcile the path that you have taken with the values
we thought ISOC espoused. </span></span><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">Accordingly,
we call upon ISOC to withdraw from its negotiations with Ethos Capital,
to withdraw from selling PIR, and to honor its charter.</span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Wed, 11 Dec 2019 at 07:01, parminder <<a href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net">parminder@itforchange.net</a>> wrote:<br /></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">agree, parminder </span><br /></p><div>On 10/12/19 9:10 PM, Imran Ahmed Shah
wrote:<br /></div><blockquote type="cite" class="cite"><div style="font-family:Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div>Thanks Ayden, I support the additional lines, these are
important and necessary... <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Regards <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Imran <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><div>On Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 19:59:47 GMT+5, Ayden
Férdeline <a href="mailto:ayden@ferdeline.com"><ayden@ferdeline.com></a> wrote:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div>Dear all,<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In response to comments in this thread and new
developments today, I have proposed some further
edits to the statement that we could potentially
send to the ISOC Board. Please find below. Note that
key changes are in red. Thanks!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Ayden Férdeline <br /></div><div>--<br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>To: Gonzalo
Camarillo, Chair of the Board of
Trustees, Internet Society</i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">As members
of a network which encompasses many
non-commercial organizations and
individuals, we are concerned by the
announcement that Ethos Capital </span></span><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">intends to
acquire</span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"> the assets of the Public Interest
Registry (PIR) from the Internet Society
(ISOC), including the .ORG, .NGO, and
.ONG Registry Agreements. We ask that
this sale be called off. </span></span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>Principally, we
are concerned that the sale of PIR to a
private entity investment firm will
significantly alter the Domain Name
System and weaken ISOC. PIR played an
important role, as the only remaining
non-commercial top-level domain registry
operator, in serving as a counterbalance
against commercial exploitation. PIR ran
.ORG, .NGO, and .ONG for the benefit of
its users, whereas other top-level
domains are run by private companies
with purely financial objectives. While
the interests of companies and users do
at times overlap, they can also
conflict, and when this occurs there are
significant human rights implications.
PIR, as a subsidiary of ISOC, could be
relied upon to do what was best for
domain name registrants, and has a proud
history of doing just that. However, PIR
also gave ISOC legitimacy and influence.
It allowed ISOC to take an active role
in shaping Internet infrastructure. In
relinquishing its control over PIR, ISOC
would lose its ability to directly
impact how millions of people around the
world positively experience the Internet
every day, and we think that is a great
pity.</i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i>We understand
that Ethos Capital approached ISOC with
an offer in September 2019 and that an
agreement had been reached to sell PIR
by November 2019. This secret process
caught us, and everyone, unaware, not
just of the transaction but of the
urgency to divest of PIR. </i></span></span></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">We join
ICANN in its 9 December 2019 letter
calling for ISOC to be more transparent
about the proposed sale of PIR. We ask
that ISOC commit to publishing on its
website all correspondence and documents
exchanged with ICANN in relation to the
proposed change in control of PIR. In
addition, we ask that ISOC commit to
publishing on its website any filings
(including motions and petitions) in the
Pennsylvania Orphans' Court relating to
the change in status of the PIR.</span></i></span></span></span><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)"></span></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">We expect
an organization that operates in the
public interest, and who promotes the
values of openness, trust, and
transparency, to be open and transparent
about major decisions. </span></i></span></span></span><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)"></span></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">This is a
major decision </span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">that will
result in a significant change, for ISOC
and for the Internet community, and it
has been proposed a) without a human
rights impact assessment being
conducted, b) without consultation with
impacted stakeholders, and c) without
appropriate safeguards in place to
protect the interests of .ORG, .NGO, and
.ONG registrants and the people who
visit their websites every day. </span></span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><i></i><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">ISOC has
successfully stewarded .ORG via PIR for
17 years, gaining a reputation as a
careful manager of a resource that truly
is the global home for nonprofits and
the noncommercial community. Given this
background, and ISOC’s stated
commitments to transparency and
openness, we are unable to reconcile the
path that you have taken with the values
we thought ISOC espoused. </span></span><span style="color:rgb(237, 65, 57)">Accordingly,
we call upon ISOC to withdraw from its
negotiations with Ethos Capital, to
withdraw from selling PIR, and to honor
its charter.</span></i></span></span></span><i></i><br /></p><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐<br /></div><div><div>On Monday, December 9, 2019 2:29 PM, parminder <a href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net"><parminder@itforchange.net></a> wrote:<br /></div><div><br /></div><blockquote type="cite" class="cite"><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">Thanks
Imran, very useful..</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">So a
community asset given to ISOC for free, nay
with a $ 5 million subsidy, for safe keeping
and management on behalf of the community is
suddenly declared by ISOC to just be a sterile
financial asset -- with no community
implications whatsoever -- that it is selling
off to a newly formed for profit entity in
order to maintain and augment its funding. And
we are supposed to stay quiet or just applaud
ISOC's financial astuteness.... </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">It cannot
get more absurd that this..</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">parminder </span><br /></p><div>On
09/12/19 12:19 PM, Imran Ahmed Shah wrote:<br /></div><blockquote type="cite" class="cite"><div style="font-family:Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div dir="ltr">Hi Parminder,<br /></div><div dir="ltr">There were 11 bidders. ICANN
evaluated 11 proposals when VeriSign was
leaving in 2002.<br /></div><div dir="ltr">At that time, the bidding
criteria was different, the bidders were
quoting their quality of services, as there
was objections on VeriSign Support.
Secondly, bidders were offering the cost of
their fee for services per domain
(registration and/or renewal). ISOC was not
the lowest bidder.<br /></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">No, ISOC/PIR did not have to
pay anything. In compensation from ICANN,
VeriSign given seed money (<span>Endowment</span>)
to ISOC/PIR for capacity building and
Registry handling and support <span> 2.6
million domain names</span>. <br /></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Regards<br /></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Imran Ahmed Shah<br /></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div></div><div><div style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><div>On Monday, 9 December 2019, 09:44:57
GMT+5, parminder <a shape="rect" href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net" rel="nofollow"><parminder@itforchange.net></a> wrote:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">From
those who know I request response
to this question:</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">Was
ISOC given the .org registry as a
result of an auction (apart from
other evaluation criteria) or not,
meaning did ISOC pay anything, and
if so how much?</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">Thanks</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana">parminder </span><br /></p><div><div>On 09/12/19 3:27 AM, Ayden
Férdeline wrote:<br /></div><blockquote type="cite" class="cite"><br /></blockquote></div></div><div><div><div>Indeed John, this criteria is
interesting, particularly number
6, which I have pasted below. I do
not believe Ethos Capital has a
"level of support for the proposal
from .ORG registrants," but the
Internet Society did, and that is
why .ORG was assigned to them over
other bidders.<br /></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:currentcolor"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><i>6.
Level of support for the
proposal from .org
registrants.</i></b></span></span><br /></p><p style="font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-color:currentcolor"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>Demonstrated
support among registrants in
the .org TLD, particularly
those actually using .org
domain names for
noncommercial purposes, will
be a factor in evaluation of
the proposals. Noncommercial
registrants do not have
uniform views about policy
and management, and no
single organization can
fully encompass the
diversity of global civil
society. There will likely
be significant difficulties
in ascertaining the level of
support for particular .org
proposals from throughout
the .org registrants and
noncommercial community.
Nevertheless, proposals to
operate the .org TLD should
provide available evidence
of support from across the
global Internet community.</i></span></span><br /></p><div><br /></div><div>Best wishes,<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Ayden Férdeline <br /></div></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐<br /></div><div>On Sunday, December 8, 2019
10:49 PM, Sylvain Baya <a shape="rect" href="mailto:governance@lists.riseup.net" rel="nofollow"><governance@lists.riseup.net></a> wrote:<br /></div><div><br /></div><blockquote type="cite" class="cite"><div><div><div>Hi all,<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div dir="ltr">Le dim. 8
déc. 2019 9:19 PM, John
Levine <<a shape="rect" href="mailto:icggov@johnlevine.com" rel="nofollow">icggov@johnlevine.com</a>>
a écrit :<br /></div><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>In article <<a shape="rect" href="mailto:CAJjTEvFXJ%2BZLsdLwYF2vMkChKizoZ9RKN7p%2BO_Bj52yiAn858g@mail.gmail.com" rel="nofollow">CAJjTEvFXJ+ZLsdLwYF2vMkChKizoZ9RKN7p+O_Bj52yiAn858g@mail.gmail.com</a>>
you write:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>><hxxps://<a shape="rect" href="http://www.icann.org/news/icann-pr-2001-03-01-en" rel="nofollow">www.icann.org/news/icann-pr-2001-03-01-en</a>><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It might be more
useful to refer to the
criteria used to
evaluate<br /></div><div>the .org proposals
and decide who got the
registry:<br /></div></blockquote></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Dear John,<br /></div><div>...have you used it
yourselves ?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><a shape="rect" href="https://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/org/criteria.htm" rel="nofollow">https://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/org/criteria.htm</a><br /></blockquote></div></div><div><br /></div><div>...for sure, these criteria
are interesting ; but let me
know if there is a specific
criterion which contains,
explicitely, the key words : *<i><b><u>By</u></b> and <u><b>For</b></u></i>*
?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Shalom,<br /></div><div>--sb.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>R's,<br /></div><div>John<br /></div></blockquote></div></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><pre>---
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