Non-profit groups ask for more protection for .org

Three non-profit organisations – Electronic Frontier Foundation, Access Now, and NTEN – have sent a letter to the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Public Interest Registry (PIR) asking for ‘more protections’ for the .org top-level domain, following the .org sale controversy. They argue that ISOC’s and PIR’s actions related to the proposed sale of .org represented ‘breaches of trust’ which ‘make it clear that stronger accountability measures are necessary for maintaining the long-term health of .org, even without a change in ownership’. The organisations call for amendments to the .org registry agreement to include commitments to respect human rights, commit to avoiding censorship, and ensure affordability and fair pricing. They also call for ISOC and PIR to (a) conduct a transparent, independent, third-party review of the processes, actions, and decisions related to the proposed sale; (b) report the findings of the review to the NGO community; and (c) engage in consultations with the NGO community to amend ISOC and PIR processes, policies, and governing structures.