Save .ORG! post Signed-off-by: Anirudh Oppiliappan <x@icyphox.sh>
Anirudh Oppiliappan x@icyphox.sh
Sat, 23 Nov 2019 15:14:42 +0530
4 files changed,
122 insertions(+),
2 deletions(-)
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@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ # latest posts ([see all](/blog))
| | | | --- | --: | +| [Save .ORG!](/blog/save-org) | `2019-11-23` | | [Status update](/blog/2019-11-16) | `2019-11-16` | | [IRC for DMs](/blog/irc-for-dms) | `2019-11-03` | | [The intelligence conundrum](/blog/intel-conundrum) | `2019-10-28` | -| [Hacky scripts](/blog/hacky-scripts) | `2019-10-24` | # currently reading ([see all](/reading))
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@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ## Computers, security & computer security.
| | | | --- | --: | +| [Save .ORG!](/blog/save-org) | `2019-11-23` | | [Status update](/blog/2019-11-16) | `2019-11-16` | | [IRC for DMs](/blog/irc-for-dms) | `2019-11-03` | | [The intelligence conundrum](/blog/intel-conundrum) | `2019-10-28` |
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@@ -11,7 +11,64 @@ <link>https://icyphox.sh/blog/</link>
</image> <language>en-us</language> <copyright>Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0</copyright> - <item><title>Status update</title><description><![CDATA[<p>This month is mostly just unfun stuff, lined up in a neat schedule – + <item><title>Save .ORG!</title><description><![CDATA[<p>The .ORG top-level domain introduced in 1985, has been operated by the +<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Interest_Registry">Public Interest Registry</a> since +2003. The .ORG TLD is used primarily by communities, free and open source projects, +and other non-profit organizations – although the use of the TLD isn’t +restricted to non-profits.</p> + +<p>The Internet Society or ISOC, the group that created the PIR, has +decided to sell the registry over to a private equity firm – Ethos +Capital.</p> + +<h3 id="whats-the-problem">What’s the problem?</h3> + +<p>There are around 10 million .ORG TLDs registered, and a good portion of +them are non-profits and non-governmental organizations. As the name +suggests, they don’t earn any profits and all their operations rely on +a thin inflow of donations. A private firm having control of the .ORG +domain gives them the power to make decisions that would be unfavourable +to the .ORG community:</p> + +<ul> +<li><p>They control the registration/renewal fees of the TLD. They can +hike the price if they wish to do. As is stands, NGOs already earn very +little – a .ORG price hike would put them in a very icky situation.</p></li> +<li><p>They can introduce <a href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/rpm-drp-2017-10-04-en">Rights Protection +Mechanisms</a> +or RPMs, which are essentially legal statements that can—if not +correctly developed—jeopardize / censor completely legal non-profit +activities.</p></li> +<li><p>Lastly, they can suspend domains at the whim of state actors. It isn’t +news that nation states go after NGOs, targetting them with allegations +of illegal activity. The registry being a private firm only simplifies +the process.</p></li> +</ul> + +<p>Sure, these are just “what ifs” and speculations, but the risk is real. +Such power can be abused and this would be severly detrimental to NGOs +globally.</p> + +<h3 id="how-can-i-help">How can I help?</h3> + +<p>We need to get the ISOC to <strong>stop the sale</strong>. Head over to +<a href="https://savedotorg.org">https://savedotorg.org</a> and sign their letter. An email is sent on your +behalf to:</p> + +<ul> +<li>Andrew Sullivan, CEO, ISOC</li> +<li>Jon Nevett, CEO, PIR</li> +<li>Maarten Botterman, Board Chair, ICANN</li> +<li>Göran Marby, CEO, ICANN</li> +</ul> + +<h3 id="closing-thoughts">Closing thoughts</h3> + +<p>The Internet that we all love and care for is slowly being subsumed by +megacorps and private firms, who’s only motive is to make a profit. The +Internet was meant to be free, and we’d better act now if we want that +freedom. The future looks bleak – I hope we aren’t too late.</p> +]]></description><link>https://icyphox.sh/blog/save-org</link><pubDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://icyphox.sh/blog/save-org</guid></item><item><title>Status update</title><description>< since +2003. The .ORG TLD is used primarily by communities, free and open source projects, +and other non-profit organizations -- although the use of the TLD isn't +restricted to non-profits. + +The Internet Society or ISOC, the group that created the PIR, has +decided to sell the registry over to a private equity firm -- Ethos +Capital. + +### What's the problem? + +There are around 10 million .ORG TLDs registered, and a good portion of +them are non-profits and non-governmental organizations. As the name +suggests, they don't earn any profits and all their operations rely on +a thin inflow of donations. A private firm having control of the .ORG +domain gives them the power to make decisions that would be unfavourable +to the .ORG community: + +- They control the registration/renewal fees of the TLD. They can +hike the price if they wish to do. As is stands, NGOs already earn very +little -- a .ORG price hike would put them in a very icky situation. + +- They can introduce [Rights Protection +Mechanisms](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/rpm-drp-2017-10-04-en) +or RPMs, which are essentially legal statements that can---if not +correctly developed---jeopardize / censor completely legal non-profit +activities. + +- Lastly, they can suspend domains at the whim of state actors. It isn't +news that nation states go after NGOs, targetting them with allegations +of illegal activity. The registry being a private firm only simplifies +the process. + +Sure, these are just "what ifs" and speculations, but the risk is real. +Such power can be abused and this would be severly detrimental to NGOs +globally. + +### How can I help? + +We need to get the ISOC to **stop the sale**. Head over to +https://savedotorg.org and sign their letter. An email is sent on your +behalf to: + +* Andrew Sullivan, CEO, ISOC +* Jon Nevett, CEO, PIR +* Maarten Botterman, Board Chair, ICANN +* Göran Marby, CEO, ICANN + +### Closing thoughts + +The Internet that we all love and care for is slowly being subsumed by +megacorps and private firms, who's only motive is to make a profit. The +Internet was meant to be free, and we'd better act now if we want that +freedom. The future looks bleak -- I hope we aren't too late.