Two more opportunities to comment on proposed takeover: .Org update

PIR and ICANN offering more opportunities to provide feedback.

People with opinions on Ethos Capital’s planned takeover of Public Interest Registry (PIR), the group that operates the .org top level domain name, have two upcoming opportunities to be heard.

First, PIR has opened a brief public engagement regarding the proposed sale. It’s asking for people in the “.ORG Community” to provide feedback on the voluntary (but, apparently, legally binding) plan to restrict pricing and controls over freedom of expression.

PIR will then provide a summary note of the feedback. Notably, it will also publish all of the comments it received. The comments won’t be available during the period like ICANN provides during its comment periods, but this means PIR won’t be able to merely cherry pick comments that it likes.

But the window is limited—comments will be accepted until March 13.

Second, ICANN disclosed that it will allocate time for community discussion regarding .org during ICANN67. The conference, which was originally slated for Cancun, is now an online-only event due to the novel coronavirus.

ICANN’s notice states:

This is an opportunity for the ICANN community to ensure that it understands the scope of ICANN’s role in this matter, and to provide feedback. Please note that the Board and the ICANN org cannot address questions and comments that relate to the ISOC, PIR, Ethos Capital, or other parties involved in the proposed transfer.

It will be interesting to see how ICANN defines its role in the matter.