[Chapter-delegates] Join our call to stop the sale of .org

[Andrew Sullivan]

Hi,

On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 02:14:41PM +0100, Joao Luis Silva Damas wrote:
> 
> I do have a question regarding something you mention below which is not yet clear for me: as you mention PIR operated the ONG/NGO registries. I assume these are part of the deal. Is that correct?
> Unlike .org which was created with the intention of providing a namespace for non-commercial organisations but had, in fact, turned into just another big gTLD mostly like .com or .net, those two new gTLDs were created with explicit intents and policies in place so that we didn’t have a repeat of the evolution of .org. What will become of those two gTLDs? Any details?
> 

This is a great point/question, and I think illustrates why we think
this transaction is a good thing and that the tools are in place to
ensure Ethos follows through on its plans.

For those who don't know, NGO and ONG are a paired set of TLDs that
were set up in the last round of TLD expansion in order to provide a
home (or a new and different one, if you think ORG is already that
home) for NGOs.  The registry agreement has a bunch of terms and
conditions that registrants need to meet in order to be permitted
their registration, and PIR undertakes audits of this on some regular
basis.

There's good reason to suppose that this approach didn't work as well
as it might have.  Many registrars refused to pick up the bundled
registration necessary to make this work, so sales were at least
disappointing.  The registrar that PIR set up to operate this turned
out to be a serious problem, and has been wound down after making
losses.

But none of that matters for the future of the registrants, because
it's the registry _agreements_ that determine what any new operator
might do in this space.  That's the critical fact: the registry
agreements, which are developed in the ICANN context, are the way that
the community can be sure commitments to the community are captured.
And so, they protect the registrars and registrants of ONG and NGO,
and ensure that the operation can continue in a way that is best for
the community.

And Ethos is buying PIR with that operation.  In their approach to us,
it was not only .org that made them enthusiastic in what I heard from
them.  So I believe that they want to invest in ONG and NGO and
deliver advantages to the community that ISOC has been unable to
deliver.

Best regards,

A

-- 
Andrew Sullivan
President & CEO, Internet Society
sullivan at isoc.org
+1 416 731 1261