Adi Robertson at The Verge:
The organization that oversees internet domain names has rejected a proposal to transfer management of the .org top-level domain from a nonprofit to a private equity group. ICANN said it wouldn’t approve the sale of .org operator Public Interest Registry because it would create “unacceptable uncertainty” for the domain, citing concerns about debt and the intentions of the for-profit firm Ethos Capital.
Good news.
Privatization is dangerous, sooner or later the private owner’s goals will diverge from the needs of the community. Of course there may be significant pressure to sell to capitalists who see non-profit TLDs as “undervalued”, but frankly a TLD shouldn’t be measured by monetary value, but instead by value to the community which it serves. In this instance there’s virtually nothing for the internet at large to gain by privatizing the ORG TLD. Just don’t do it.
Frankly I’m shocked the idea was ever seriously considered.
shocked/not shocked.
It’s about time…