debate The fight for .ORG: is it about MONEY or is it about CONTROL?

[Rob Monster]

As some here are aware, I previously presented the bullish case for .ORG:

https://www.namepros.com/threads/why-i-am-bullish-on-org-plutocratic-guilt.1161692/

Although I remain bullish on the .ORG TLD as a domain asset class, there is now a footnote on .ORG because of the change of control event and the precedent that it represents for a major registry.

In the wake of organized backlash against the Ethos/PIR.org deal from capable organizations such as EFF, it appears that propagandists are makeing a case for "nothing to see here". For example note this article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/05/opinion/dot-org-domain.html

This article was written by a Stanford undergrad with a Stanford prof as the byline. Fade Chehade is a Stanford alum. This looks like a propaganda instrument. In fact, I put the odds at 90:10 on that.

Ultimately, I am not convinced that this is not about money. After all, Donuts is not exactly killing it since Abry took over. However, they now control a whopping 242 TLDs. These people are not stupid nor are they lazy.

Fadi is a globalist and an elite technocrat. He has a keen understanding of power, governance and realpolitik. I believe he is entirely sincere about what he thinks it is at stake. Check out his short TED interview:

https://www.ted.com/talks/fadi_cheh...itizens_can_do_to_claim_power_on_the_internet

The timing of this talk was curious. September 2018 is when the digital censorship programs went into overdrive. As some folks know, I was on the front line of that when Godaddy booted Gab.

Fadi wants "Geneva conventions", "technocratic oaths" and "stewards" for acceptable use.

Fadi also comments on Artificial Intelligence. He is absolutely right. Most folks have no idea how much impact AI combined with structured data, wireless broadband, and open standards is going to change the word.

People with access to domains, hosting and vast libraries of open source code, are capable of wielding remarkable things. The tools are already amazing. I believe AI is also in the process of being democratized.

As power of internet publishing gravitates to individuals, the framework for governance on the Internet comes down to the gatekeepers, of which domain registries play a critical role for at least the next 10 years.

Blockchain is plodding along to create a decentralized alternative. It is not ready for prime time yet. However, domains can become more resilient. That is where Epik is focused.

Now that the main industry pundits have had their commentary on .ORG, I am curious to hear what the open source community has to say about the .ORG transaction and its implications. Let's hear it.

 

[elevator]

I have my reservation on this matter

 

[BrandCollectors.com]

sold 3 .nets bought 1 .org

 

[Lox]

What Makes Ethos Capital A Responsible Steward Of PIR?
( Commentary by Nora Abusitta-Ouri, Ethos Capital. )

read more (keypointsabout org)

 

[bmugford]

What Makes Ethos Capital A Responsible Steward Of PIR?
( Commentary by Nora Abusitta-Ouri, Ethos Capital. )

read more (keypointsabout org)

The only reason private equity companies exist is to make money. This deal is clearly about making money for both ETHOS and ISOC. It only happened after the price caps were removed by ICANN.

Also, this brand new entity has absolutely no actual track record that they can point to.

Unless there are actual legal protections written into the contract, there are no protections in place. Any other feel good mumbo jumbo is not going to change that.

This deal is clearly not beneficial to the vast majority of stake-holders.
Allowing this transaction to go through would be the height of irresponsibility by ICANN.

Brad

 

[Michael Ehrhardt]

will share on Linkedin

thx

 

[branding]

I just stumbled upon this blog post:
http://blogs.harvard.edu/sj/2019/12/02/the-dot-org-fire-sale-sold-for-half-its-valuation/

It basically covers a lot of ways in which Ethos could fairly easy monetize .org.

They link to a previous blog post at the top: the .org heist which gives you a nice timeline about .org and all events surrounding the 'hostile' takeover. Worth the read.

 

[Lox]

Parody twitter account @ Sh*tFadiSays (twitter.com/sh*tFadiSays - replace * / i ) (Internet Governance Superhero)

(First I invented the ICANN Multistakeholder Ethos Award. Then I invented Ethos Capital. Quite remarkable, don't you think?)

 

[Rob Monster]

Parody twitter account @ Sh*tFadiSays (twitter.com/sh*tFadiSays - replace * / i ) (Internet Governance Superhero)

(First I invented the ICANN Multistakeholder Ethos Award. Then I invented Ethos Capital. Quite remarkable, don't you think?)

That stuff is hilarious:

https://twitter.com/sh*tFadiSays

Note: You have to replace the * with an i.

 

[Lox]

ASO Issues Inspection Request to ICANN

On 27 December 2019, the Number Resource Organization (NRO), acting as the Address Supporting Organization (ASO), submitted the following correspondence to ICANN regarding the Internet Society’s proposed transfer of ownership of PIR, the .org registry, to Ethos Capital: ...

read more (The Number Resource Organization)

 

[topdom]

I don't understand the topic, so I'm not sure, but it must be about money and power, but since I don't see much value in .org except for premium words, 3 letters, and real nonprofits, I don't care either as a domainer. So I would vote for "all". Also I suspect most nonprofits are actually proprofits. They are businesses accepting donation(?).

 

[oldtimer]

Also I suspect most nonprofits are actually proprofits. They are businesses accepting donation(?).

That might be true since currently the World runs on money, but not all nonprofit organizations are the same, some might think of their own interest first and might be using their nonprofit status to enrich themselves financially and then there are those that put a certain cause that they care about and are active in as their first priority. People who travel thousands of miles to help the sick or provide food and shelter to those who's lives have been affected by disasters could instead go to a nice vacation resort and have fun (like the people at ICANN), but they sacrifice their own comfort, happiness, and even safety in order to help others. If ICANN allows a for profit company to fleece the good organizations that are truly trying to help others I consider that as a crime against Humanity.

IMO

 

[.X.]

I smell ulterior motives in this deal, that is why ICANN may be taking a good look at it right now.

 

[.X.]

The internet’s name regulator says it’s ‘uncomfortable’ with the .org deal

https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/17/21026939/icann-ethos-capital-dot-org-domain-name-deal

 

[oldtimer]

This might eventually end up in court as it appears that some ICANN insiders are trying to help their friends cash in on something that should be considered a public resource.

IMO

 

[.X.]

This might eventually end up in court as it appears that some ICANN insiders are trying to help their friends cash in on something that should be considered a public resource.

IMO

I agree, this shows the mostly nothing but greedy world we live in today, we can only hope the court handles its business and does the right thing.

 

[Business Brands]

.org is a dying extension.

 

[Martins B.]

.org is a dying extension.

For commercial use? Yeah, but for what is basically made for, not really.

 

[bmugford]

.org is a dying extension.

In what sense?

Brad

 

[oldtimer]

.org is a dying extension.

It was a shame that they opened it up for commercial use several years ago which made .org lose some of its status, they should have kept their greedy hands off of it back then.

IMO

 

[bmugford]

Now this -

BREAKING: Verisign pays ICANN $20 million and gets to raise .com prices again

There is absolutely no shame to the brazen level of corruption at this point.

Brad

 

[Rob Monster]

Now this -

BREAKING: Verisign pays ICANN $20 million and gets to raise .com prices again

There is absolutely no shame to the brazen level of corruption at this point.

Brad

I think it is called an Affiliate Program.

Seriously though .COM is still a pretty good deal with room for gain-sharing.

The bigger question is what does ICANN do with that $20 million. Where' the Public Benefit?

They could start by replacing WIPO UDRP which has gone down the drain.

 

[oldtimer]

As I have said many times in this thread already they are imposing an arbitrary Tax on people without doing anything substantial in return.

As the total number of registrations increases for extensions like .com and .org the registration and renewal fees should go down and not up.

They are treating this like a cash cow both from inside and outside of ICANN and they won't stop until they are met with a greater force.

This is not Capitalism as have been mentioned here earlier, this is abuse of power and taking advantage of millions of people that they have as captive customers (the registrants).

If your Electric Power company did something like this I am sure that they would be held accountable.

IMO

 

[tonyk2000]

BREAKING: Verisign pays ICANN $20 million and gets to raise .com prices again

Fascinating. So they are going to drop an old contract (with price restrictions, until 2024) and sign a new one soon? In this case, the only thing that can save the industry would be elimination of USD as a currency (a country cannot have such a debt - www.usdebtclock.org - forever), with a number of businesses including ICANN and Verisign going bankrupt, something that may happen regardless of ICANN and Verisign - but this is not a topic for a domaining forum.
On thread topic (ORG - money or not), it proves that all the unfortunate events we see are about the money to begin with...

 

[.X.]

.org is a dying extension.

Ohhh, ok, cool, just more .org for me then

 

[Lox]

Q4 2019 Verisign Earnings Conference Call
Feb 6, 2020 at 4:30 PM EST

ICANN's public comment on Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreementhttps://www.icann.org/public-comments/com-amendment-3-2020-01-03-en
open tl February 14.