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Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Three weeks after the Internet Society announced the controversial sale of the .org internet registry to an unknown private equity firm, the organization that has to sign off on the deal has finally spoken publicly.

In a letter [PDF] titled “Transparency” from the general counsel of domain name system overseer ICANN to the CEOs of the Internet Society (ISOC) and .org registry operator PIR, the organization takes issue with how the proposed sale has been handled and notes that it is “uncomfortable” at the lack of transparency.

The letter, dated Monday and posted today with an accompanying blog post, notes that ICANN will be sending a “detailed request for additional information” and encourages the organizations “to answer these questions fully and as transparently as possible.”

As ICANN’s chairman previously told The Register, the organization received an official request to change ownership of PIR from ISOC to Ethos Capital in mid-November but denied ICANN’s request to make it public.

The letter presses ISOC/PIR to make that request public. “While PIR has previously declined our request to publish the Request, we urge you to reconsider,” the letter states. “We also think there would be great value for us to publish the questions that you are asked and your answers to those questions.”

Somewhat unusually it repeats the same point a second time: “In light of the level of interest in the recently announced acquisition of PIR, both within the ICANN community and more generally, we continue to believe that it is critical that your Request, and the questions and answers in follow up to the Request, and any other related materials, be made Public.”

And then, stressing the same point a third time, the letter notes that on a recent webinar about the sale organized by concerned non-profits that use .org domains, ISOC CEO Andrew Sullivan said he wasn’t happy about the level of secrecy surrounding the deal.

From the ICANN letter: “As you, Andrew, ISOC's CEO stated publicly during a webcast meeting... you are uncomfortable with the lack of transparency. Many of us watching the communications on this transaction are also uncomfortable.

“In sum, we again reiterate our belief that it is imperative that you commit to completing this process in an open and transparent manner, starting with publishing the Request and related material, and allowing us to publish our questions to you, and your full Responses.”

Here is what Sullivan said on the call [PDF]: “I do appreciate, however, that this creates a level of uncertainty, because people are uncomfortable with things that are done in secret like that. I get it. I can have the same reaction what I'm not included in a decision, but that is the reason we have trustees. That's the reason that we have our trustees selected by our community. And I believe that we made the right decision.”

As ICANN noted, there remain numerous questions over the proposed sale despite both ISOC and Ethos Capital holding meetings with concerned stakeholders, and ISOC’s CEO agreeing to an interview with El Reg.

Original Submission