If the registry and the platform are the same, then it means that the registry uses its monopoly power over the string to have a competitive advantage in a downstream market, which is bad. If 250$ is higher than market value for a regular domain, it also mean that they are actively using their monopoly power over the string to force ordinary user to use their platform. That is bad as well. In a world where a .sucks competitor cannot readily spring about, these are legitimate competition concerns.

Nicolas

On 30/03/2015 11:45 AM, Amr Elsadr wrote:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">
Hi Sam,

Thanks. I hadn’t seen this article. It does suggest that the platform belongs to VOX Populi, but does not make it implicitly clear (at least not to me). It could still be a platform that VOX Populi has contracted with and is using. I’m also not so sure that it would be terribly detrimental if it did own the platform. Folks are always free to elect not to register a domain under .sucks, aren’t they? :)

Also not very concerned with how they define “individual”, but that’s just me. I wouldn’t mind if this product is reserved for actual individuals. This doesn’t mean that CS organisations can’t register .sucks domain names, but just that they can’t use this package. I would at least prefer that to ICANN dictating the rules to Vox Populi on how they can sell to who, and for how much.

Thanks again.

Amr

On Mar 30, 2015, at 5:17 PM, Sam Lanfranco <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


Amr,
The following article says that VOX Populi is owned by the Ottawa based Momentous Corporation and that VOX Populi also owns the everything.sucks consumer advocacy forum platform. It appears that VOX Popular as a Registry had a contract with itself as either a Registrar or a Registrant. As of now there is no public information on the everything.sucks consumer advocacy forum platform. One concern from the not-for-profit and civil society perspective is whether or not the VOX Populi definition of "individual" includes not-for-profit and civil society organizations, or is it restricted to individual meaning a single person. Along with you, many are waiting for further information. At the moment the http://www.everything.sucks returns a blank page. 

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/03/27/vox-populi-makes-waves-with-sale-of-edgy-dot-sucks-domain-name/

Sam L.


On 30/03/2015 11:06 AM, Amr Elsadr wrote:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">
Is the consumer advocacy platform “everything.sucks” owned by VOX Populi? I wasn’t aware of that. I thought they just said that they had contracted with them. I may be wrong.

I’d be interested to learn more about the everything.sucks platform as more information becomes available. But I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that it will be a particular concern for NFPs and CS until this information is somehow provided.

Thanks.

Amr