Save the .org TLD

This is very shady:

There is a campaign to oppose it:

https://savedotorg.org/

For organisations with a .org domain it might make sense to renew it for 10 years before the sale completes.

4 Likes

We have just had to contact all our clients who use .org

This is a super bad situation. I think a lot of people, including myself, don’t know anything about the governance and structures around these domains. Does anyone know any good resource for reading about it?

1 Like

That Reg article is the most comprehensive reporting we’ve come across so far,

The https://www.intgovforum.org/ is taking place this week in Berlin, our GN & APC people there report that this issue is being discussed, though probably not on formal agendas… i’ll report back if anything comes of that.

I’m not sure that buying 10 years in advance protects against future price rises unfortunately :frowning:

The deal is not concluded yet, and is so obviously dodgy that I really hope that we can stop the sale - we all need to support that campaign

2 Likes

Here’s APC’s statement:

https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/apc-statement-proposed-sale-public-interest-registryorg-domain

calling for ICANN to add safeguards to ensure that the sale will not result in NFPs paying into a for-profit registrar. Our friends at ARTICLE 19 and the Danish Institute for Human Rights will be conducting a human rights impact assessment of the sale.

I wonder if CoTech could come up with a group statement/open letter?

3 Likes

Well this sounds like an interesting and co-operative development!

A new cooperative is trying to persuade the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to stop the sale of dot-org.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/technology/dot-org-private-equity-battle.html

More details of who’s involved here: BREAKING: Co-op aims to block PIR sale to venture firm - The NonProfit Times

3 Likes

Agree this is dreadful.

They should probably allow third parties to operate these things (to promote efficiency) but apply strong price controls and regulation. I understand the buyer has stated they intend there to be a continuation of the precedent of 10% annual price increases. 10%?! For old rope?! The fact that that precedent already existed suggests the problem is deeper than just this sale.

Apparently there’s a physical protest taking place on Friday. If anyone is around LA!

I’m writing because we have a protest this Friday in LA in front of ICANN’s offices. This is the first time there’s a real-world protest related to ICANN (a good mix of internet world and real world, just as I like it), and we are lining up press that will be there and some secret but awesome folks to speak. I would so appreciate any promotion you all could do through LA networks. And, for any of you based there, PLEASE COME BE PART OF IT!
There are tshirts for the first 25 who arrive :slight_smile:

I guess we can support the demo and show solidarity online

3 Likes

Happy to share some good news:

4 Likes