[Chapter-delegates] Swiss Chapter statement on the sale of PIR/.ORG

[Richard Hill]

The Swiss Chapter of ISOC has posted a statement here:

 

  https://www.isoc.ch/archives/3859  

 

I copy-paste it below.

 

Best,

Richard

 

===================

The Swiss Chapter of the Internet Society has taken good note of the
extensive discussions engendered by the proposal to sell PIR/.ORG to a
newly-created private equity firm. Having carefully weighed the arguments,
in particular from ISOC management and the ISOC Board, and evaluated the
limited facts made public, we associate with the statements made by the
France <https://www.isoc.fr/vente-du-point-org/>  and Catalonia
<https://www.isoc.cat/isoc/pir-org-internet-society-ethos-capital-isoc-cat-p
oint-of-view/>  chapters and we recall that we had previously joined the
Indonesia, Netherlands, and Portugal Chapters in expressing concerns in
particular with respect to the lack of prior consultation with the community
and the lack of transparency surrounding the proposed sale.

In our view, it is not acceptable to envisage this sort of sale without
prior open consultation and without making publicly available all relevant
information. 

In our view, the sale must not go forward unless and until all relevant
information is made public and there has been a public consultation. 

Further, in principle, we have strong concerns as regards the proposed
change of status of PIR/.ORG from a not-for-profit to a for profit entity.
This is a major change that alters the very nature of the registry.
Ownership matters, as a for-profit-entity is here to generate profit and has
no obligation to the stakeholder community. We therefore consider the
proposed sale by its very nature as a potential threat to the interests of
the broader .ORG community. 

The unforeseen proposal to sell PRI/.ORG was not (and could not have been)
taken into account during the election of the Trustees, whereas the outcome
of the election might have been different if we had known about the proposed
sale. Of course, we don't question the good intentions of the Trustees. But
since this decision is very important for the identity of ISOC, those that
have made it, and those that agree with it, should take the full
responsibility for it and for its future implications. 

 

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