Breaks ranks, criticizes deal to sell .Org — ISOC chapter

Netherlands chapter calls on others to join it in denouncing sale.

Shortly following Internet Society (ISOC) disclosed a deal to sell Public Interest Registry (which runs .org) to a private equity firm, ISOC sent a notice to its local chapters telling them not to talk to the press regarding the sale:

…You can address any questions you are asked directly by saying that this transaction is between Internet Society (global), PIR, and Ethos Capital, and that as a Chapter of the Internet Society you are not in a position to comment on the news. Instead, please refer these questions to your main contact at the Internet Society…

Some ISOC members still privately denounced the transaction, and now one affiliate has publicly broken ranks.

The Netherlands chapter of ISOC released a statement objecting to the sale.

It states (in part):

We believe that the 2019 decision of ISOC Global to sell PIR to private equity firm Ethos Capital is not in line with ICANN’s criteria from 2002 and the subsequent promise from ISOC Global. Despite ISOC Global’s assurances to the contrary, we share the misgivings of the international community regarding giving a single privately owned entity the power to raise tariffs, implement rights protection mechanisms possibly leading to censorship, and suspend domains at the request of local governments. We also fear that ISOC Global’s reputation has been severely harmed by even contemplating this transaction.

We therefore call on ISOC Global’s leadership to reverse this decision immediately, and do its utmost to restore faith in ISOC as the one global organisation that through its many professionals and dedicated volunteers sincerely strives for an internet for everyone.

The statement calls on other ISOC chapters to join it in publicly denouncing the sale.