Yesterday We wrote about IFFOR, the over $1.4 Million it should have raised from .XXX registrations and renewals and the $10K in grants it Awarded.
Today comes word from xBiz.com once again, that IFFOR now wants to get into the new gTLD business as a service provider.
According to today’s xBiz story, The International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR) “has launched a new policy service specifically for operators of new generic top-level domains”.
“The Policy Engine service will help those companies planning to run a piece of the Internet’s infrastructure by providing customized and pragmatic solutions for their specific needs, whether privacy requirements, content restrictions, age verification, registrant identification, or a range of other requirements”.
“The service builds on the experience of IFFOR’s Policy Council, board and staff and the organization’s role as the policy developer and reviewer of the dot-xxx top-level domain”.
“Of the current 1,917 applications for 1,396 different extensions from 1,144 different applicants, 84 have designated themselves “community” applications requiring user-specific registration policies. Additionally, 199 different extensions have been formally warned that they may face governmental objections if they do not account for specific concerns. Many other applications have identified the business benefit from pursuing particular groups or adding use-specific restrictions to domain registration”.
“IFFOR’s Policy Engine service will help identify a specific extension’s policy requirements for target markets and develop or review policies with an eye to scalable and pragmatic business solutions”.
No pricing or other information was contained in the release but it sure seems like IFFOR plans on charging for its services to new gTLD applicants.
Let’s recall that IFFOR was part and parcel of ICM’s application to run the .XXX TLD, and that $10 of each $60 wholesale cost of a .XXX domain name registration and renewal goes to IFFOR.
Therefore if you own a .XXX domain you are “contributing” to IFFOR
As all of IFFOR funding comes at this point from registration and renewals of .XXX domain names, it maybe a good time to go back and review with IFFOR’s mission and policy goals were stated to be when the ICM proposal to operate the .XXX was up for approval by ICANN.
According to IFFOR owns documents from 2011:
“”IFFOR’s mission includes:
- Contributing programs and tools to ‘make a difference’ in the continuing battle against child abuse online
- Establishing a forum for the online adult-entertainment community to communicate and proactively respond to the needs and concerns of the broader Internet community.”””
“IFFOR’s policy goals are to
- Foster communication between the sponsored community and other Internet stakeholders
- Protect free expression rights
- Protect privacy, security and consumer rights of consenting
adults
- Promote the development and adoption of responsible practices to combat online child abuse images
IFFOR engages in various projects and activities including:
- Promoting public awareness of technologies, programs, organisations and methods available to protect children online.
- Enhancing development and proliferation of systems for labelling.
- Supporting free expression to allow Internet users’ the right to choose the online content they desire.
So now it appears that this organization which was set up for a very specific and limited purpose is looking to expand its operations and go into business as a service provider for new gTLD registries.
As I mentioned last night as a registrant of over 200 .XXX domain names, my company Worldwide Media, Inc. has “contributed over $2,000 to IFFOR last year and again over $2,000 to IFFOR this year.
This is not the reason I was told I was “contributing” these funds to IFFOR.
As a “Founder” of this “Sponsored Community,” that is, as a leader in the adult entertainment industry, what specific issues do you think IFFOR should be addressing and how? Measure B? 2257? Torrents?
Sak
I never liked the tie into the non-profit.
I like to contribute my money to the organizations that I want to.
My feelings were transmitted to ICM
Michael,
You are one of the .xxx Founders. You own one of the largest plots of .xxx real estate. You are one of IFFOR’s biggest contributors. Yet you bear no responsibility. Are you sure that you are not a Wall Street Banker?
Amazing how people wiggle their way out of that which they themselves have created.
Sak
I have no responsibility because I have no authority or power over it.
Also over the years by owning so many domains, I’m one of ICANN biggest contributor as well, yet have no special power or authority over them either.
If you pay $5 Billion in income tax in the US you get no special rights or authority over those who pay $0
The government forces you to pay taxes. No one forces you to do business with ICANN, ICM, or IFFOR. Those are your choices. And, we are all responsible for the consequences of the choices we make. Some accept that responsibility; others don’t.
sak: Ever heard the phrase “no taxation without representation”?? This is why the topic of “accountability” is always in the news, or the lack thereof.
@George Yes, but if my legislator represents the majority opinion and I hold the minority opinion, I cannot withhold financial support in opposition. In business, my money represents my opinion, and I can freely give it or freely withhold it.
Sak
One of the silliest comments of all time.
No you don’t have to support ICANN by buying sex.com for $14 million and being force to give ICANN its $.18 you don;’t have to own any domains.
But then I would have to change the name of this blog and write about something else.
Oh wait I would still have to pay ICANN its $.18 even with the new domain and now topic
Its a tax, its not imposed by the US government but its a charge you cannot avoid and the charge allowed to be imposed by ICANN under its contract with the US government.
So call it what you will.
You also don’t have to pay gas tax you can just walk.
You don’t have to have a cell phone and pay those Government taxes that are buried in your cell bill
you can just use smoke signals.
Likewise if you think there is value in owning sex.xxx would you not register it for $70 because $10 was going to a non-profit that you had no choice in “contributng” to