[Governance] Joint Statement from NTEN and EFF on Rejection of Sale of .ORG

[Tapani Tarvainen]

If (or rather when) .org sale or transfer will be reconsidered,
I would like its registry agreement changed at the same time to
require that it remains non-profit.

Ideally I'd like it to be run by an NGO that does nothing else and
doesn't even try to make more money than is required to run the
registry, not for any shareholders but not for any other good causes
either.

Alternatively, put such rules in the registry agreement so whichever
NGO gets it won't turn it into a cash cow like ISOC has done.

Not that I can see how that could realistically happen as it'd imply
ISOC would lose its cash cow without getting anything in return (not
that they paid for it in the first place) and of course such an NGO
would not be exactly easy to set up in the first place and keep it
safe from takeovers, but one can always hope (I've been told I'm a
hopeless optimist).

Tapani

On Fri, May 01, 2020 at 11:47:14AM +0530, parminder via Governance (governance at lists.igcaucus.org) wrote:
> 
> Congrats to all those made this possible.
> 
> Meanwhile, on the below statement, I am wary of looking for a new home
> for .org. For anyone to make a convincing case for that let us hear
> about some possibilities which are more more global and representative
> than ISOC, with all its faults, which I would rather focus on improving.
> I havent heard about any such alternative. I do not want a US or EU
> based NGO  -- however stellar their record, to take over, with no global
> basis or structure.  I mean here at least we did have a chapters
> systems, and their advice to the Board (which in the end I think had a
> strong role to play in the .org saga.). Can you please give me an
> example of a comparable system in another NGO, or at least a clearly
> global governance system? I look forward to it.
> 
> Pending that I would not like to join any call asking ICANN to open a
> new bidding process for .org.
> 
> Parminder
> 
> On 01/05/20 11:23 AM, Ayden Férdeline via Governance wrote:
> > (emphasis added in bold to one paragraph below)
> >
> > https://savedotorg.org/
> >
> > /We are thrilled to see //ICANN’s leadership reject the sale/
> > <https://www.icann.org/news/blog/icann-board-withholds-consent-for-a-change-of-control-of-the-public-interest-registry-pir>/of
> > Public Interest Registry (PIR) and the .Org top-level domain. //
> > /
> >
> > /For 20 years, .Org has been the online home for nonprofits, NGOs, and
> > community-based groups around the world. It serves both those
> > organizations and the public, helping navigate and support trust,
> > information and resource sharing, and advocacy. //
> > /
> >
> > /The current global pandemic has further illustrated the importance of
> > nonprofit websites, as most of the world’s leading scientific and
> > research institutions, health and safety resources, and educational
> > services are on .Org websites. The need for reliability and security
> > of the .Org domain is as high as it ever has been, and the proposal to
> > convert PIR from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity and then sell it
> > to private equity firm Ethos Capital would have jeopardized both. //
> > /
> >
> > /We want to thank the nearly 900 organizations and the 64,000*
> > individuals from all over the world who joined us in calling for the
> > sale to be stopped. The collective voices made a difference. //
> > /
> >
> > */This is not the final step needed for protecting the .Org domain.
> > ICANN must now open a public process for bids to find a new home for
> > the .Org domain. ICANN has established processes and criteria that
> > outline how to hold a reassignment process. We look forward to seeing
> > a competitive process and are eager to support the participation in
> > that process by the global nonprofit community. /**/
> > /*
> >
> > /*The .Org domain, the third-largest top-level domain, needs a secure
> > and reliable steward that can prove it has the public and nonprofit
> > sector’s interests at its core. *//*
> > */
> >
> > /Additional SaveDotOrg coalition signers:
> > /
> > /Access Now//
> > /
> > /
> > /
> >
> >

> -- 
> Governance mailing list
> Governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> https://lists.igcaucus.org/mailman/listinfo/governance


-- 
Tapani Tarvainen