ISOC sells PIR
dorothy g
dgdorothydg at GMAIL.COM
Fri Nov 15 14:34:29 EET 2019
Totally agree with these questions.
On Fri, Nov 15, 2019 at 2:35 PM Peter Micek <petermicek at gmail.com> wrote:
> This is unsettling.
>
> We see this as an inside deal
> <https://domainnamewire.com/2019/11/13/breaking-private-equity-company-acquires-org-registry/>
> .
>
> The Ethos Capital domain was just registered at the end of October. The
> "chief purpose officer" is a former senior VP of ICANN.
>
> The CEO Erik Brooks moved over from Abry Partners, which acquired Donuts
> <http://abry.com/investment/donuts/> (a massive holder of domain
> registrations) last year. Abry installed the former ICANN president of
> global domains as the new Donuts CEO when Donuts co-founder Jon Nevett left
> to become CEO of the PIR.
>
> It appears
> <https://domainnamewire.com/2019/11/13/the-interesting-connection-between-the-org-deal-and-icann/>
> former ICANN CEO Fadi Chehadé, now a senior advisor at Abry, was likely
> very involved in putting the deal together.
>
> Did ISOC carry out a human rights impact assessment, consulting
> potentially affected stakeholders and mitigating any risks identified,
> before undertaking this major business deal that could impact all of civil
> society that depends on .org? If not, why do we accept less from our
> allies than we demand of major corporations?
>
> Pete
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 11:57 PM dorothy g <dgdorothydg at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> This situation clearly needs an in-depth study. It sounds like we are
>> well on the way to a classic internet governance case study which will
>> give us insights into the rot that is at the core of the current domain
>> name system. It seems so sad that something that was created and shared
>> freely is now 'easy pickings' for those with insider knowledge. This does
>> not bode well for ISOC's reputation or that of the principles. Does anyone
>> know of any session at this years IGF that perhaps will address some of
>> these issues?
>>
>> best
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2019 at 1:03 AM Neal McBurnett <neal at bcn.boulder.co.us>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Here is some more press, explicitly digging out the relationships.
>>>
>>> The interesting connection between the .Org deal and ICANN
>>>
>>> https://domainnamewire.com/2019/11/13/the-interesting-connection-between-the-org-deal-and-icann/
>>>
>>> Neal McBurnett http://neal.mcburnett.org/
>>>
>>> On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 06:19:11PM +0000, Mueller, Milton L wrote:
>>> > The purchase has not been completed yet, so the notification we all
>>> received may (or may not) formally serve as their notice to
>>> > ICANN, but if it doesn’t, then there is still plenty of time.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > From: NCSG-Discuss <NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> On Behalf Of
>>> Michael Karanicolas
>>> > Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2019 9:50 AM
>>> > To: NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
>>> > Subject: Re: ISOC sells PIR
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Given how catastrophic the invocation of art. 7.5 would be for both
>>> PIR and for ISOC, I would be amazed if they'd made a mistake
>>> > like failing to inform ICANN of the purchase. Indeed, I would assume
>>> they consulted extensively with ICANN in laying the groundwork
>>> > for this sale, and got organizational buy-in from the earliest stages
>>> of the discussions. I doubt very much ICANN is going to
>>> > invalidate the registry agreement.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > That said, and as Stephanie noted at the outset, all of this casts the
>>> previous discussion over the new contract in a different
>>> > light, given that ICANN almost certainly knew that a sale was being
>>> discussed. I seem to recall that they leaned heavily on past
>>> > precedent, and that PIR had not previously utilized the price
>>> increases available to it, in arguing that they could be trusted with
>>> > the pricing change. If they knew that a sale to new (and likely more
>>> financially demanding) ownership was just over the horizon,
>>> > that whole line of argument seems very disingenuous.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Michael Karanicolas
>>> >
>>> > Resident Fellow
>>> >
>>> > Yale Law School
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 9:08 AM Joan Kerr <joankerr at fbsc.org> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Hi Caleb,
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I am not sure that ISOC/PIR gave notice to ICANN, I am sure they
>>> have. The Chief Purpose Officer, Nora Abusitta-Ouri
>>> > previously worked at ICANN, so would know the rules and
>>> requirements to be addressed.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Regards,
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Wed, Nov 13, 2019 at 11:40 PM Caleb Olumuyiwa Ogundele <
>>> muyiwacaleb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > And here is the first red flag raised and quoted by @IGPAlert
>>> on twitter.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Re: the sellout of .org, under art. 7.5 of the PIR contract,
>>> PIR has to provide ICANN with 30 days’ notice of any change in
>>> > control, and ICANN can respond by terminating the agreement
>>> #PIR #ORG #ICANN
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Was ICANN notified and was there any notice to critical
>>> stakeholders SO /AC?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Thu, Nov 14, 2019, 2:19 AM James Gannon <lists at icann.guru>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > The purchasing entity is ethos capital a Delaware
>>> corporation formed 4 months ago with many familiar faces involved.
>>> > https://ethoscapital.com/
>>> >
>>> > ---
>>> > James Gannon
>>> >
>>> > On 14.11.19, 02:00, "Carlos Afonso" <ca at cafonso.ca> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Yes, they are the same: Ethos and Ethos Capital are
>>> from the same group.
>>> > Even the web pages are almost identical, and several
>>> officers sit on
>>> > both. As if this would make a significant difference,
>>> but...:
>>> >
>>> > http://www.ethos.co.za/
>>> > https://ethoscapital.mu/
>>> >
>>> > fraternal regards
>>> >
>>> > --c.a.
>>> >
>>> > On 13/11/2019 22:53, James Gannon wrote:
>>> > > Ethos the South African firm is not the same firm
>>> that has aquired PIR.
>>> > >
>>> > > ---
>>> > > James Gannon
>>> > >
>>> > > On 14.11.19, 01:48, "NCSG-Discuss on behalf of
>>> Carlos Afonso" <NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU on behalf of
>>> > 0000103799ed46a9-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > Also, the official statement from ISOC mentions
>>> that Ethos Capital is "a
>>> > > strong strategic partner that understands the
>>> intricacies of the domain
>>> > > industry and has the expertise, experience and
>>> shared values to further
>>> > > advance the goals of .ORG into the future".
>>> > >
>>> > > Just checked their two main websites (Ethos
>>> Capital and Ethos) - there
>>> > > is no trace of former experience in dealing with
>>> domain names (the
>>> > > acquisition of a South African service provider
>>> in 2018
>>> > > notwithstanding). "Shared values" with a
>>> financial speculator whose aim
>>> > > is just profit?
>>> > >
>>> > > But, let us face it, everyone knows that PIR was
>>> as flexible as any
>>> > > other registry in accepting anyone with a valid
>>> international credit
>>> > > card for .org. When the domain was auctioned,
>>> APC was the other
>>> > > contender, with a clear proposal to keep the
>>> domain as the lair of
>>> > > non-profits. Pity it did not win...
>>> > >
>>> > > fraternal regards
>>> > >
>>> > > --c.a.
>>> > >
>>> > > On 13/11/2019 15:55, Sam Lanfranco wrote:
>>> > > > Thanks Stephanie,
>>> > > > While PIR said, as recently as last week to
>>> me, that PIR was not
>>> > > > considering raising .org registration fees,
>>> > > >
>>> > > > I suspect that the new owners will feel that
>>> they are under no obligations
>>> > > > to observe the PIR position.
>>> > > > Oddly, the Ethos website misspells the title
>>> of the CEO: Peter
>>> > > > Hayward-Butt, CHEIF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
>>> > > > We shall see.
>>> > > > Sam Lanfranco
>>> > > > ---- Original Message ----From: Stephanie
>>> Perrin
>>> > > > To: NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
>>> > > > Sent: Wed, Nov 13, 2019, 12:41 PM
>>> > > > Subject: ISOC sells PIR
>>> > > > I must say, this casts the decision to
>>> drop price caps for .org in a
>>> > > > slightly different light. I will keep you
>>> posted as I learn more.
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191113005661/en/
>>> > Ethos-Capital-Acquire-Public-Interest-Registry-Internet
>>> > > > (
>>> https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191113005661/en/
>>> > Ethos-Capital-Acquire-Public-Interest-Registry-Internet)
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Stephanie Perrin
>>> > > >
>>> > > > NCSG Chair
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > >
>>> > > --
>>> > >
>>> > > Carlos A. Afonso
>>> > > [emails são pessoais exceto quando
>>> explicitamente indicado em contrário]
>>> > > [emails are personal unless explicitly indicated
>>> otherwise]
>>> > >
>>> > > Instituto Nupef - https://nupef.org.br
>>> > > ISOC-BR - https://isoc.org.br
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> >
>>> > Carlos A. Afonso
>>> > [emails são pessoais exceto quando explicitamente
>>> indicado em contrário]
>>> > [emails are personal unless explicitly indicated
>>> otherwise]
>>> >
>>> > Instituto Nupef - https://nupef.org.br
>>> > ISOC-BR - https://isoc.org.br
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> >
>>> > Joan Kerr, Entrepreneur, Artist, Humanitarian
>>> >
>>> > _____________________________________
>>> >
>>> > Chair, Climate Smart Victory Garden Team
>>> >
>>> > Chair, ICANN, Not for Profit Operations Constituency
>>> >
>>> > Chair, IEEE Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
>>> >
>>> > Chair, Science for Peace, Climate Smart Victory Gardens
>>> >
>>> > Advisor, IEEE Humanitarian Initiatives Committee
>>> >
>>> > Advisor, Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network, (CSAYN) Canada
>>> >
>>> > UN WSIS Award Recipient, for Content & Creativity
>>> >
>>> > Durham Region Recipient, Community Partnership Award
>>> >
>>> > Founder, Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities
>>> >
>>> > www.joankerr.ca, www.fbsc.org
>>> >
>>> > Skype: joankerr_fbsc
>>> >
>>> > 1-416-907-0783
>>> >
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dorothy Gordon
>>
>
--
Dorothy Gordon
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