[ncdnhc-discuss] Resolution on ORG Divestiture

[Milton Mueller]

Anupam:
This is a common error that people make.
The idea that $1 or 2 million in surplus revenues from ORG 
could have a significant impact on the global "digital divide" 
is wrong and shows a lack of understanding of 
technology diffusion patterns.

Anupam, who do you think supports the
activities of the ISP constituency, the Registrar
constituency, the gTLD Registry constituency,
etc? Is that "parochial and self-interested?"
If it is, we need more of it in this part of the
domain name world.

Your idea begs a lot of questions about how an ORG
registry is supposed to develop the expertise and
staff to address divide problems. It's easy to say:
"throw money at the digital divide" on a mail list - 
but what programs actually help, what is the best
way to use the money? That takes a lot of staff
time and resources. It is a very bad idea for a registry
that has the RESPONSIBILITY to serve 3 million
regstrants to dilute its mission and focus by taking 
on problems unrelated to domain names and ICANN. 

The amount of money required to support noncommercial
participation in ICANN policy making, on the other hand,
is quite small (less than $50,000) and has direct and 
immediate benefits. This is not a "parochial" interest,
it is vital to ICANN's legitimacy and future to be able
to include non-business as well as business interests.

Consider, for example, what
Salzburg Seminar has done. Every time they send 
someone from Africa or Pakistan or Latin America
to these meetings they give them an important chance
to get involved, make contacts, improve their
understanding of what drives Internet policy.

>>> "Anupam Chander" <achander at ucdavis.edu> 10/15/01 08:50PM >>>

Thanks to Milt for a useful proposal.  I agree generally with his
suggestion, but write to suggest one important change:  That the proceeds
from the sale of .org domain names not be used "to support
the participation of noncommercial interests in the ICANN process."  That
seems to selfish and parochial an interest.  Rather the proceeds should be
used "to help bridge the digital divide."

I am not so enthralled with the noncommercial constituency that I think its
travel should be subsidized through the sale of .org names.

I'd rather try to help people come online and experience the benefits of
cyberspace for themselves.

Best,
Anupam Chander

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-admin at icann-ncc.org [mailto:discuss-admin at icann-ncc.org]On 
Behalf Of Milton Mueller
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2001 10:40 AM
To: discuss at icann-ncc.org 
Subject: [ncdnhc-discuss] Resolution on ORG Divestiture


Resolution on .Org Divestiture

Whereas:
a) The .org TLD is the TLD where most members of
the NCDNHC with global generic domain names register;
and

b) The .org TLD now contains a wide variety of
Internet users, including individuals; unincorporated
organizations, alliances, and groups; and some
informational sites and defensive
registrations from commercial organizations; and

c) There is no single, globally applicable, clearly
defined and easily applied standard for determining
who should be eligible to register in the .org TLD;
and

d) Advance restrictions on who can register raise the
costs of domain name registrations; also, dispute
initiation procedures designed to impose restrictions
after registration also raise the costs and risks of
registering a domain; and

e) Evicting current registrants in the .org TLD or
cancelling their registrations upon expiration would
destabilize user expectations, raise the costs of
administering the TLD, create needless legal
conflict and contribute little of value to the
noncommercial Internet community or the domain name
system;

Be it Resolved:
1. That the Noncommercial Domain Name Holders
Constituency fully supports the concept of making .org
into a "sponsored, unrestricted domain" as proposed by
the Names Council Task Force on .ORG Divestiture.

2. That sponsorship of the .org TLD should
be placed in the hands of an organization that has
strong support from the NCDNHC and that will use
revenues from the sale of registrations to support
the participation of noncommercial interests in the
ICANN process.

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