[ncdnhc-discuss] Market Manages .ORG

[Derek Conant]

It seems to me that the market self-manages the .ORG issue already.

Registrars, consumers and the general public that use the Internet are
aware by now that .ORG domain names usually represent non-profit
organizations.  It is also known that .ORG domain names sometimes do not
represent a non-profit organization.  

Consumers and for-profit organizations that use the Internet are aware
that .ORG domain names usually represent non-profit organizations.  It
seems to me that if a for-profit organization uses a .ORG domain name,
then such an organization would not be as productive at getting its
message across to consumers had the organization used some other TLD.  

I also believe that consumers and the public who use the Internet today
have a heightened awareness of website representations, which include
the domain name and TLD.  I also believe that most consumers and the
public that use the Internet, and most non-profit organizations, don't
really care about the .ORG issue nor will they really benefit from any
.ORG acceptable use policy changes.  There are also many examples of
non-profit organizations on the Internet that do not use .ORG.

Where is this .ORG issue going?  Are some participants on this NCDNHC
mailing-list proposing that there should be a governing body that
defines and authenticates a non-profit organization, worldwide?  Imagine
the harm that could affect consumers and the public who may rely on such
a governing body that defines and authenticates a non-profit
organization.  Also, imagine the control such a governing body may have
over free speech, defining acceptable use policy or dictating what a
non-profit organization may or may not represent.

Maybe the solution to the .ORG problem is simply to leave it alone and
let it live?  Does it seem fair to consumers or the public, and
especially the .ORG domain name holders, to significantly change the
current .ORG acceptable use policies?  

Maybe a method for proposing the changes contemplated for .ORG should
come in the form of a New-TLD Application, you know, that fair, wholly
unbiased and solely consensus based process, that represents a new TLD? 

Derek Conant
DNSGA President and Chairman