Comments on: Congress Finally Calls ICANN Out On It’s Finances

By: MHB

MHB — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:04:03 +0000

Aaron

ICANN fee is $.20 per domain, per year.

They operate under the authority of the US Government, which is what gives them the right to collect the money from you.

By: Aron

Aron — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:39:42 +0000

ICANN is a nonprofit organization? BULLSHIT! Oh please, who are these people trying to fool? Every time you register a domain name you will see a 25 cent ICANN fee added to your order. Sounds like a profit bearing company to me considering how many domain names are registered on a daily basis worldwide. I want to own my domain names outright and not LEASE them anymore from some invisible bullshit organization. We do not own our domain names at the present time people. We are leasing them! It shows you how stupid people buying into some false sense of security. When I buy my domain name I want to own it FOREVER! Not lease it forever. I am actually in the process of acquiring an attorney to sue ICANN. What gives this entity ANY rights whatsoever to keep collecting money from me if I was smart enough to come up with a unique domain name? NONE! I want to expose this ICANN entity from the top to the bottom.

By: Tara Sev

Tara Sev — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:35:47 +0000

ICANN has fallen apart, where is the US oversight when you need it.

There is not point in congress pointing out ICANN mistakes unless they are going to do something about it.

If US oversigt is not going to get involved, than maybe we should push for its indepence suggested by the EU to have some new form of change.

By: Dan Anderson

Dan Anderson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:07:40 +0000

“But to some people FREE SPEACH is important.”

Obviously not.

By: Veena

Veena — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:42:45 +0000

And ICANN has some supporters too in the form of Al Gore and Vint Cerf known to many as one of the fathers of the Internet, in acknowledging the success of the group’s multi-stakeholder, bottom up governance!!!

Yikes…

“What we have all those years later is an organization that works,” Gore said. “[ICANN] has security as its core mission, is responsive to all global stakeholders and is independent and democratic. We should make permanent those foundations for success,” he said. Cerf, who long-served as ICANN’s chairman and is now Google’s chief Internet evangelist, argued the past decade has shown the ICANN model has worked. “The ICANN of today is larger, more capable, more international, and better positioned to fulfill its mandate.” ICANN has benefited from a joint project agreement with the U.S. government, which is slated to expire in September, but “the time has now come to conclude it,” Cerf said.

By: Domain Buzz - This Week in Domaining

Domain Buzz - This Week in Domaining — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:47:11 +0000

[...] Domains – Congress Calls ICANN Out On Finances: “Florida Republican Cliff Stearns called ICANN out on its finances , noting that the last [...]

By: jblack

jblack — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:30:37 +0000

Josh, the proper word is ACCOUNTABLE not “regulated”. ICANN is barely accountable now on paper and they desperately seek zero accountability which would be a disaster for everyone. They must be accountable to registrars and registrants at a minimum. Thank goodness someone in power finally recognizes this.

With googlesearth.com its clueless clowns (kinder than jerk as you call yourself) like you that gave rise to the CADNAs of the world that so seriously jeopardizes non-TM infringing domains in the first place. Keep a watchful eye over your shoulder for that blanket carrying gang in search of a party. In the meantime, get an education in business and law.

By: ICANN Retarded - Pass It On | ppc.bz

ICANN Retarded - Pass It On | ppc.bz — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:51:34 +0000

[...] said, Florida Congressman Cliff Stearns is calling ICANN out on their (unrelated) [...]

By: Gazzip

Gazzip — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:49:18 +0000

After watching that hearing I think ICONN are going to be put on an even shorter leash…..just as well, they need it.

They seem much more interested in their own agenda of making more money from what I can see…non-profit corporation my arse !

By: M. Menius

M. Menius — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:46:17 +0000

Participants in the hearing just gawked when Paul Twomey’s $800,000 per year salary was announced, and that ICANN currently have a $41,000,000 SURPLUS. Yes, you read that right! It was discussed that for a “non-profit”, they look more like a for profit corporation. Especially considering that ICANN stand to take in potentially $90 million more in applicant fees in the first year alone on the new gTLD orgy.

The congressman asked Twomey “What are you going to do with all that money”? And then suggested to Twomey why don’t ICANN invest their (our/your) surplus money into fighting cybersquatting. The insinuation was clear. Almost complete consensus within the room that ICANN need continued oversight.

Incidentally, I’ve never seen/heard Mr. Twomey before, but am surprised at his odd arrogance in this forum. It’s as if he’s reading from a practiced script that doesn’t quite fit the nature of the questions being asked. Somewhat indignant demeanor when pressed for details and examples. Strikes me as the type CEO who likes to make important decisions in a vacuum, but who has very little real comprehension of ground level realities.

The panelists are on point, very articulate. And hitting on all cylinders. The similarity of expressed concerns between the panelists, congress, and domainers is incredible. And therein lies ICANN’s failure, i.e. creating internally driven policies that bear no relation to the huge outside consenus of internet users and observers.

Here’s the video in two parts. Gets good at about 1 hr 30 mins into the hearing.

Video 1: http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/wmedia/energycommerce/2009.06.04.sc.ti.wvx

Video 2: http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/wmedia/energycommerce/2009.06.04.sc.ti.2.wvx