[Chapter-delegates] We should speak up about the disabling of autistici.org

[Vittorio Bertola]

Hello all,

as anticipated, the Italian Chapter has released a statement under the 
form of an open letter to ISOC's and PIR's Presidents on the specific 
issue of the disabling of the autistici.org domain name:

https://www.isoc.it/sites/default/files/2026-09/20260906-isoc-italy-pir-autistici-posizione.pdf

We hope that the letter can prompt a discussion in the community, and we 
are already setting up a call with ISOC staff.

Meanwhile, Autistici/Inventati has announced their disbandment (in 
Italian):

https://keepitfree.ai/it/announcements/a/i-chiude-restare-umani/

Ciao,

Il 2026-09-04 14:58 Vittorio Bertola via Chapter-delegates ha scritto:

> Hello Sebastian,
> 
> the Italian chapter is deeply troubled by what happened and it is 
> working on a statement on this situation. Please stay tuned. In any 
> case, we understand that PIR had no other choice than comply but still 
> we think that this case has substantially weakened the credibility of 
> .org as a global online home for non-profit organizations.
> 
> Also, it is somewhat incorrect to say that "the registrant of the 
> domain has the right to challenge the designation" as no judicial 
> review was ever made on it. It is an administrative act of the U.S. 
> Government, without any justification needed, and can be challenged... 
> by writing back to the same government office that already decided this 
> listing. Now, in theory, a group of volunteers from Pisa could hire an 
> American lawyer and try to challenge the U.S. Government in DC courts, 
> spending several hundred thousand dollars that they don't have and 
> which slim chances of winning. But this is not a realistic proposal, 
> unless it is the entire Internet ecosystem that supports it and pushes 
> back, something which I do not see likely.
> 
> Ciao,
> 
> Il 2026-09-03 22:18 Sebastian Bellagamba via Chapter-delegates ha 
> scritto:
> 
>> Dear Chapter Delegates,
>> 
>> I want to follow up on my initial note about PIR's suspension of 
>> autistici.org and to thank those of you who have reached out and 
>> shared your concerns.
>> 
>> The affected .ORG domain name was identified on the U.S. Treasury 
>> Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially 
>> Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list (SDN List). As a 
>> U.S.-based organization, PIR is legally required to comply with U.S. 
>> law and was legally mandated to suspend the domain, with failure to 
>> comply potentially exposing PIR to significant civil and criminal 
>> liability. The registrant of the domain has the right to challenge the 
>> designation.
>> 
>> While this sets out the legal context for PIR's action, our focus is 
>> on the broader principle at stake. We believe the Internet is for 
>> everyone. We support the people who use it, build it, and depend on 
>> it, including civil society organizations and communities around the 
>> world that rely on access to Internet infrastructure to organize, 
>> communicate, and participate in public life. Our concern is the wider 
>> principle: protecting an open and globally connected Internet, 
>> including the secure and private communications on which people and 
>> communities depend.
>> 
>> We put our commitment to these principles into practice across all of 
>> our work. We defend strong encryption and secure, private 
>> communications. We advocate for policies that protect the Internet's 
>> open architecture and resist fragmentation. We support communities 
>> working to expand resilient connectivity. And through our grants and 
>> philanthropic initiatives, we help strengthen the security of civil 
>> society and public interest organizations.
>> 
>> Above all, we work with our global community, benefiting from your 
>> experience, expertise, and local leadership, to make the case for an 
>> Internet that remains open and globally connected. Especially when 
>> those principles are tested. This work began long before the present 
>> situation, and it will continue.
>> 
>> Best,
>> 
>> Sebastian
>> 
>> Sebastián Bellagamba, VP, External and Community Engagement
>> bellagamba at isoc.org
>> 
>> internetsociety.org [1] | @internetsociety
>> 
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> 
> --
> vb.                   Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu   <--------
> -------->       now blogging & more at https://bertola.eu/   <--------
> _______________________________________________
> As a Chapter Leader, you are automatically added to the Internet 
> Society�s Chapter Leaders Community Group and the Chapter Delegates 
> e-list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society 
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://community.internetsociety.org.
> The Internet Society has a legitimate interest to communicate with its 
> chapter leaders, you will therefore remain subscribed for the duration 
> of your term and will be unsubscribed automatically when your term 
> ends.
> Please note that the archive of this list is publicly accessible and 
> may be viewed by anyone. By submitting information to this list and 
> contributing to the communications, you acknowledge that the contents 
> will be publicly visible.
> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct: 
> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
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> Unsubscribe: 
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-- 
vb.                   Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu   <--------
-------->       now blogging & more at https://bertola.eu/   <--------

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