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I support submitting the letter drafted by Ayden. Amr proposed, in
the alternative, "engaging with both ICANN and PIR on how PIR can
better serve the needs of civil society." While I support such
engagement, it gives us no leverage to effect change. <br>
<br>
On the NTEN call yesterday, Andrew Sullivan and Erik Brooks said
that they intend to conclude the sale as quickly as possible, but no
later than the first quarter of 2020. Once the sale is finalized, we
will have little to no influence over the operation of .ORG. The
only formal constraint on that operation is the Registry Agreement
between PIR and ICANN. And earlier this year, when that agreement
was renewed, it was altered to make it less protective of
registrants in several ways. ICANN staff dismissed thousands of
comments that were nearly unanimous in opposing the new contractual
terms. There was no multistakeholder input. <br>
<br>
This means that if we don't stop or at least delay the sale, we can
"engage" with the newly for-profit PIR all we want, but they will
have little incentive to make any changes.<br>
<br>
There is plenty that an unrestrained PIR can do to hurt the
interests of noncommercial registrants. The reason there hasn't been
much harm yet is because of ISOC's influence, or at least ISOC's
concern for its reputation. A mysterious private equity firm that
didn't exist eight months ago will have no such compunctions. <i>And
we will have no real influence.</i> That's why we need to call on
ICANN to halt the sale. How can we fail to respond <i>now</i>, when
it might mean something?<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Mitch Stoltz
Senior Staff Attorney, EFF | 415-436-9333 x142
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.eff.org/donate">https://www.eff.org/donate</a> | <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://act.eff.org/">https://act.eff.org/</a>
</pre>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 12/4/19 7:43 AM, Nick Shorey wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:09FD81BF-3630-432C-B2A0-F3FBA4C04B5E@nickshorey.com">
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Hi Ayden,
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Thanks for the responses. I agree it is possible it
could be seen as an indirect change, though I read it more as a
situation where PIR were to outsource registry backend
operations for example.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Re open tender - I’d personally prefer PIR remained
as it were. An open tender process risks the potential for an
even less appropriate operator winning the bid.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Kind regards,</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Nick</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
<div class="">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;
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-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Nick Shorey<br class="">
Phone: +44 (0) 7552 455 988<br class="">
<a href="mailto:lists@nickshorey.com" class=""
moz-do-not-send="true">Email: lists@nickshorey.com</a><br
class="">
Skype: nick.shorey<br class="">
Twitter: @nickshorey<br class="">
LinkedIn: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/nicklinkedin">www.linkedin.com/in/nicklinkedin</a><br class="">
Web: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.nickshorey.com">www.nickshorey.com</a></div>
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<div><br class="">
<blockquote type="cite" class="">
<div class="">On 4 Dec 2019, at 15:32, Amr Elsadr <<a
href="mailto:aelsadr@ICANNPOLICY.NINJA" class=""
moz-do-not-send="true">aelsadr@ICANNPOLICY.NINJA</a>>
wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<div class="">
<div class="">Hi,<br class="">
<br class="">
<blockquote type="cite" class="">On Dec 4, 2019, at 5:24
PM, Ayden Férdeline <<a
href="mailto:icann@FERDELINE.COM" class=""
moz-do-not-send="true">icann@FERDELINE.COM</a>>
wrote:<br class="">
<br class="">
This letter is not about halting the sale; it is about
preventing the transfer of the Registry Agreements for
.ORG, .NGO, and .ONG to Ethos Capital. The decision to
sell PIR's assets is indeed a matter for ISOC to
decide. If this is not clear please feel free to edit
the letter to make this distinction more evident.
Thanks!<br class="">
</blockquote>
<br class="">
Nobody (to my knowledge) has suggested that a transfer
of the Registry Agreements to Ethos will take place.
This would make Ethos the Contracted Party, but by all
accounts I’ve seen, they will still remain with PIR.<br
class="">
<br class="">
But yes…, I do agree that this might qualify as an
indirect change of control.<br class="">
<br class="">
The way that the letter is currently worded suggests
that the NCSG will ask the ICANN Board to terminate
PIR’s Registry Agreements, and transfer them to another
entity.<br class="">
<br class="">
Thanks.<br class="">
<br class="">
Amr<br class="">
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