Public Interest Registry Commitments to Be in LLC Charter, Deal Participants Write Hill
Interests of .org registrants, users and the public will be kept "first and foremost" in operation of the Public Interest Registry, legislators were told Tuesday. The Internet Society (ISOC), PIR and Ethos Capital, which is acquiring the registry from ISOC,…
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responded to questions from Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden, Oregon; Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut; and Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts; and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who last month sought assurances about the sale (see 1912230002). The parties have committed to anchoring PIR in a public benefit limited liability company structure before finalizing the transaction that will "enshrine the mission of PIR in the governing documents," they wrote. The certificate of formation will state PIR's commitments to devoting resources to serve a public benefit, including maintaining the registry's historical pricing practices by limiting any .org domain name increases to no more than 10 percent yearly on average. A stewardship council will have authority to "ratify strong rules protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding against censorship," concerns raised by nongovernmental organizations and others. PIR and Ethos are working with Article 19, a group that seeks to further the free speech and anti-discrimination provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The parties also promised to take the safety of internet users seriously and to continue existing anti-abuse and takedown procedures. "PIR's operation of .ORG will continue as usual," they said. An Ethos spokesperson emailed Tuesday that the "reply also helps reassure any .ORG users who may have had similar questions" about prices and free speech.