Elliot Noss argues that auction proceeds should be used to fun wireless internet in Africa.
Tucows CEO Elliot Noss, along with “internet in a suitcase” advocate Sascha Meinrath, have penned an op-ed for Slate arguing that new TLD auction proceeds should be used to grow internet access in Africa.
In ICANN, Make a Difference, the pair suggests that the auction process for new top level domains might bring in $100 million to ICANN. Since the new TLD program is already over-funded, this money will be used in a way to benefit the public interest.
Tucows may be one of the contributors to this excess funding. All four of its new TLD applications (.group, .marketing, .media, and .online) are contested.
Noss and Meinrath argue the best use for this money would be to boost internet penetration in Africa (or another disconnected, high poverty area) via free wireless internet.
How would they use just $100 million to make a meaningful difference? That’s where Meinrath’s expertise with mesh networks comes into play.
I also suspect that a number of corporate sponsors would match ICANN funds for such an initiative.
Although it may seem “wrong” for ICANN to invest excess proceeds to just one part of the world, it’s worth noting that increasing internet penetration anywhere will benefit all new top level domain applicants.
What do you think?
George Kirikos says
Everyone has a pet “cause.” If it’s worthy, it’d get funded on its own merit (e.g. Kickstarter, voluntary donations, etc.), rather than lobbying ICANN. Forced charitable contributions are just another form of taxation.
All excess funds should be returned to domain name registrants via LOWER fees (e.g. eliminate the 18 cents per domain name TAX on consumers for a few years). If registrars like Tucows or GoDaddy want, they can add an opt-in charitable donation to their checkout pages.
ICANN’s poor policy-making costs consumers more than $500 million PER YEAR just on the dot-com contract alone (relative to a competitive tender). For the dot-org contract, ISOC (the Internet Society, another so-called “non-profit”) has also been raking in tens of millions of dollars ANNUALLY in excess fees from registrants via their ownership of PIR.
All that money should go back into the pockets of consumers. Then, some of it might find its way to causes those consumers prefer.
John UK says
I guess that if “we” can make Africa more connected then they will be able to Buy (and sell) more easily from us in the West, so it may well pay for itself. Trade over internet will increase because of it I would guess.
ShofarDomain says
Remove the domain rental policy and the funds disappear. “Excess funds” should be a red flag about ICANN. http://shofardomain.com/Blog-2012-11-28