ICANN has finally rejected the proposal to sell .org TLD from a nonprofit to a private group. The internet domain names providers are managed and organized by ICANN, which means they oversee the internet domain names and hence have authority over these decisions.
ICANN announced in a blog post that it wouldn’t approve the sale of .org top-level domain operator Public Interest Registry because it would create “unacceptable uncertainty” for the domain.
ICANN’s blog post mentioned that,
“ICANN’s role is to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet’s unique identifier systems. We are dedicated to making the right decision, knowing that whatever we decide will be well received by some, and not by others. It is our responsibility to weigh all factors from an ICANN Bylaws and policies perspective, including considering the global public interest. We have done this diligently, ensuring as much transparency as possible and welcoming input from stakeholders throughout.”
The board also added,
“A change from the fundamental public interest nature of PIR to an entity that is bound to serve the interests of its corporate stakeholders, and which has no meaningful plan to protect or serve the .ORG community.”
Other than that, the ICANN board also mentions the debt of $360 million that could destabilize PIR’s operations and would put .org registrants’ protection in question.
