7 ms·

This is the only intelligent move ICANN can make, especially considering the public out lash (including from state officials in CA). It's actually astounding th

This is the only intelligent move ICANN can make, especially considering the public out lash (including from state officials in CA). It's actually astounding that the organization managing .org actually thought they could get away with bold-faced cronyism so clearly opposed to the principles of the internet. That said, we certainly have to watch out for more acts like this.

r00fus 6y ago
Not just that, we have to investigate why ICANN thought they could get away with this. They will try again when convenient, otherwise.
- Kiro 6y ago
  I don't know anything about this but what has ICANN to gain from this sale?
  - sjwright 6y ago
    Wrong question. The right question is what do the specific individuals at ICANN have to gain?
    - C1sc0cat 6y ago
      $$$$$$$
      - sjwright 6y ago
        Quite.
  - nolok 6y ago
    It's not ICANN the entity, if it provided a real benefit to it the outcry would have been much smaller. It's people inside ICANN abusing their position to strip ICANN and the web of things worth a lot of money for their own benefit.
  - ohashi 6y ago
    The former CEO of ICANN was involved in Ethos Capital, the private equity trying to acquire .ORG. One of the two employees of Ethos Capital was a former ICANN VP. It was orchestrated by ICANN insiders.
neotek 6y ago
Is it actually astounding though, when viewed in the context of every other bit of malfeasance and naked corruption occurring at every level in the US? The government itself is openly criminal and flouts the rule of law, crony capitalism is the default state, Trump and the GOP have normalised corruption on a grand scale. For example, just weeks ago highly placed senators were discovered to have conducted insider trading on the back of security briefings on the coronavirus pandemic, and that was out of the news cycle within 48 hours, replaced by a dozen new unprosecuted crimes. The fundamental nature of the country has changed, perhaps permanently. Once the descent into fascism begins in earnest it's very hard to claw your way back without bloodshed, and unfortunately the US shows no signs that it will reverse course any time soon. Edit: Downvote all you like, it won't change reality.
- brigandish 6y ago
  > Trump and the GOP have normalised corruption on a grand scale I find this sort of statement myopic. Name a president of the United States (or anywhere, why limit it?) and I'll provide you with a corruption scandal that either they were linked to or happened during their tenancy. > When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind of corruption generates and forms. Give to any man a million a year, and add thereto the power of creating and disposing of places, at the expense of a country, and the liberties of that country are no longer secure. What is called the splendour of a throne is no other than the corruption of the state. It is made up of a band of parasites, living in luxurious indolence, out of the public taxes. Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, 1791
  - jaggederest 6y ago
    That's classic whataboutism. To say that "every president has corruption scandals" is to ignore the scale, depth, and sheer incompetence in commission of corrupt activities in the current administration. Even Nixon knew that once they had the tapes admitting to a crime, he was sunk. Trump just says it right into the microphone on television.
    - 6y ago
monadic2 6y ago
> It's actually astounding that the organization managing .org actually thought they could get away with bold-faced cronyism so clearly opposed to the principles of the internet What world do you live in where the internet exists outside the economy? What economy do you participate in that is not subject to cronyism? How could this be astounding?

r00fus 6y ago

Not just that, we have to investigate why ICANN thought they could get away with this. They will try again when convenient, otherwise.

Kiro 6y ago
I don't know anything about this but what has ICANN to gain from this sale?
- sjwright 6y ago
  Wrong question. The right question is what do the specific individuals at ICANN have to gain?
  - C1sc0cat 6y ago
    $$$$$$$
    - sjwright 6y ago
      Quite.
- nolok 6y ago
  It's not ICANN the entity, if it provided a real benefit to it the outcry would have been much smaller. It's people inside ICANN abusing their position to strip ICANN and the web of things worth a lot of money for their own benefit.
- ohashi 6y ago
  The former CEO of ICANN was involved in Ethos Capital, the private equity trying to acquire .ORG. One of the two employees of Ethos Capital was a former ICANN VP. It was orchestrated by ICANN insiders.

neotek 6y ago

Is it actually astounding though, when viewed in the context of every other bit of malfeasance and naked corruption occurring at every level in the US? The government itself is openly criminal and flouts the rule of law, crony capitalism is the default state, Trump and the GOP have normalised corruption on a grand scale. For example, just weeks ago highly placed senators were discovered to have conducted insider trading on the back of security briefings on the coronavirus pandemic, and that was out of the news cycle within 48 hours, replaced by a dozen new unprosecuted crimes. The fundamental nature of the country has changed, perhaps permanently. Once the descent into fascism begins in earnest it's very hard to claw your way back without bloodshed, and unfortunately the US shows no signs that it will reverse course any time soon. Edit: Downvote all you like, it won't change reality.

brigandish 6y ago
> Trump and the GOP have normalised corruption on a grand scale I find this sort of statement myopic. Name a president of the United States (or anywhere, why limit it?) and I'll provide you with a corruption scandal that either they were linked to or happened during their tenancy. > When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind of corruption generates and forms. Give to any man a million a year, and add thereto the power of creating and disposing of places, at the expense of a country, and the liberties of that country are no longer secure. What is called the splendour of a throne is no other than the corruption of the state. It is made up of a band of parasites, living in luxurious indolence, out of the public taxes. Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, 1791
- jaggederest 6y ago
  That's classic whataboutism. To say that "every president has corruption scandals" is to ignore the scale, depth, and sheer incompetence in commission of corrupt activities in the current administration. Even Nixon knew that once they had the tapes admitting to a crime, he was sunk. Trump just says it right into the microphone on television.
  - 6y ago

monadic2 6y ago

> It's actually astounding that the organization managing .org actually thought they could get away with bold-faced cronyism so clearly opposed to the principles of the internet What world do you live in where the internet exists outside the economy? What economy do you participate in that is not subject to cronyism? How could this be astounding?