[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] I oppose Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement.

[Riley Shaw]

Hi,

I am a professional software developer. I have spent most of my career
working for nonprofits and small businesses.

I am troubled by the pricing amendments in your new agreement with
Verisign. The annual cost for .COM domain registrants is currently within
reach for individuals, which is essential for the health and democracy of
the Internet. With Amendment 3, Verisign will be able to price out
individuals. This will have a direct and immediate negative impact on
Internet users.

Earlier this month, I was forced to let a project expire due to an
unexpected price increase. I was running the project for a small community
completely out of my own pocket. I poured dozens of hours into the project
and community. The domain, prompts.club, increased in cost between 2019 and
2020 from ~$10 / year to ~$450 / year. I was forced to let the project die.

I realize that .club is under different ownership, but I hope you can see
the relevance.

The changes in pricing model proposed in Amendment 3 will negatively affect
artists, independent developers, small businesses, and people using the
Internet for anything other than profit generation. It will stifle
creativity and access across the Internet.

I imagine you're getting a flood of similar letters right now. Please
consider the input of Internet users in this huge decision.

Regards,
Riley Shaw
rileyjshaw.com
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