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While I prefer Ayden's approach, I've suggested additions to
Milton's draft letter that I hope can gain consensus: if Ethos is
unwilling or unable to agree to the contractual terms we request,
ICANN must exercise its right under the Registry Agreements to
withhold consent for a change of control of PIR. I've also suggested
broadening Milton's description of content-neutrality. <br>
<br>
I agree with Ayden that the .ORG registry should be run by a
nonprofit, that Ethos Capital has not earned the community's trust,
and that a sale under these conditions is harmful to noncommercial
.ORG, .NGO, and .ONG registrants. But I also agree that it would be
a travesty for NCSG to say nothing (or nothing meaningful) about
this issue. And it would be foolish not to invoke the contractual
provision that would give ICANN some negotiating leverage with the
ability to block the change of control of PIR.<br>
<br>
I strongly suspect that either approach, if adopted by ICANN, would
lead to the same result: Ethos will not go through with a sale if
they are unable to exploit their newly-purchased monopoly position
at the expense of nonprofit registrants.<br>
<br>
Mitch<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 12/7/19 4:57 PM, Ayden Férdeline
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:edSPa6UUmJ2UylHhQy1AGR7dsNRc-_FnN5-vNXhZArXCZdnS-Tdk-cXgoqgAlnq2CGPcngHsdqRY8moxdmuRi93e7G9P_uEXGnheQE-QAYA=@ferdeline.com">
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<div>Milton<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>In your previous email you wrote:<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<blockquote>
<div>... it would be a travesty if NCSG were unable to get its
act together to submit a unified letter to ICANN’s CEO and
board regarding what we want them to do.<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I agree with this comment.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>However I am unsure how we can submit a unified letter if
your draft completely eliminates an entire argument (that the
sale should be halted) that has been expressed by numerous NCSG
members.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>There is not a consensus that this deal is desirable or
helpful. And there are a lot of harms that can easily be
envisioned given how little we know about the buyer.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Best wishes, <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div class="protonmail_signature_block">
<div class="protonmail_signature_block-user">
<div>Ayden Férdeline <br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="protonmail_signature_block-proton
protonmail_signature_block-empty"><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐<br>
</div>
<div> On Sunday, December 8, 2019 1:45 AM, Mueller, Milton L
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:milton@GATECH.EDU"><milton@GATECH.EDU></a> wrote:<br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<blockquote class="protonmail_quote" type="cite">
<div>
<p>At this link <a
href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zfaTlkIUZEsNMOQljy43SQSXZUQBmgFSJYVnjGgpYp8/edit?usp=sharing"
moz-do-not-send="true">
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zfaTlkIUZEsNMOQljy43SQSXZUQBmgFSJYVnjGgpYp8/edit?usp=sharing</a><br>
</p>
<p>you can see a new proposed letter to ICANN. I have started
from scratch.<br>
</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p>The main difference is that instead of screaming about the
sale I am focusing on the conditions attached to the
original award of .ORG to PIR. I am asking ICANN to
recognize its obligation to ensure that those conditions
continue to be met.<br>
</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p>Anyone with the link can comment. I hope this can gather
quick support. I think we have wasted a lot of time and need
to act quickly. If NCSG cannot act fast enugh I will publish
it as an open letter to ICANN on the IGP blog, and accept
sign-ons from anyone willing.<br>
</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p>Dr. Milton L Mueller<br>
</p>
<p>Georgia Institute of Technology<br>
</p>
<p>School of Public Policy<br>
</p>
<p><img style="width:5.0in;height:2.0in" alt="IGP_logo_gold
block" class="proton-embedded"
src="cid:part2.63341532.34F5D674@eff.org" width="480"
height="192" border="0"><br>
</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
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</blockquote>
<div><br>
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</blockquote>
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