It’s Still About the Future of .ORG

1 May 2020
2 min read

by Jon Nevett, President and CEO, Public Interest Registry

In all the noise surrounding the proposed sale of Public Interest Registry, the transaction was always about one thing: the future of .ORG. In the last few months we’ve been reminded how important .ORG is to charities, advocates, mission-driven organizations and others trying to heal, unite, and inspire. The future of .ORG is vital to our collective future now more than ever.

When I became CEO a year-and-half ago, I saw PIR as a place with a passionate, skilled and experienced team dedicated to PIR’s mission and serving the .ORG Community. Regardless of our ownership, we are and will always be an exemplary registry operating with transparency, upholding our anti-abuse principles, and expanding .ORG globally to broaden the reach for social good. Now that we are on the other side of ICANN’s decision, we are looking ahead to the future and will double down on our efforts and continue to support the .ORG Community we serve to build a stronger .ORG.

The coronavirus pandemic has underscored the important role the .ORG Community plays in organizing people, businesses and mission-driven organizations helping others during times of crisis. Billions of dollars have been raised to support those in need, companies everywhere have pitched in, and artists and world and civic leaders have used their platforms to put a spotlight on areas that desperately need it. Here at PIR, we absolutely understand that managing the .ORG domain comes with great responsibility. It is an essential part of not only the fabric of the Internet, but society as a whole.

Our longstanding partnership and collaboration the Internet Society team will remain strong. We are quite proud to support the Internet Society and to help fund its great work around the world, including an Internet that is free, open, and secure for everyone. In turn, the Internet Society will invest in PIR to ensure we are fulfilling our mission serving the .ORG Community. Adaptation is part of this next chapter – and we are ready. As we move ahead, the Internet Society and PIR will focus on the future together and make .ORG even stronger.

PIR will continue to be transparent with what we do as an organization with our upcoming 2019 Annual Report and be leaders in the technology and Internet policy sectors protecting the stability of the Internet and data privacy. We will continue our efforts to promote the quality of .ORG names and combat domain name abuse.

In addition, widening the international breadth of .ORGs, especially in under-served regions in Africa, Latin and Central America and Southeast Asia, will increase the reach of the .ORG Community and help even more communities. That is why PIR is focused on expanding .ORG into these regions in our next chapter. Our roadmap is underway and we know that every new .ORG increases the chance someone, somewhere is helped.

Our eyes have been opened even more to what we can do to strengthen the .ORG Community with our .ORG Impact Awards and our Education and Outreach efforts.

I can’t end this without a few words about the PIR team. During the past seven months the PIR team has been amazing. Our supportive Board of Directors and I could not be prouder of PIR’s 35 employees. PIR did not ask to be sold and it was far from fun to be constantly attacked for it, but the work we did supporting the .ORG Community in spite of it was phenomenal. PIR continues to promote our values and mission that help make .ORG the most trusted and reliable domain in the world. The process may have been difficult at times, but the PIR team reminded all of us why .ORG is truly an exemplary registry.

Now that the dust is settling, each of us who cares about .ORG needs to remember that the Internet and .ORG will be here long after we’ve left the stage. We have the honor to serve as the responsible stewards of the crown jewel of the domain name system and, together, we will give the next generation an even stronger .ORG.

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