I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposed renewal of the registry agreement for .NET by ICANN and Verisign. The proposal contains a dangerous provision that could allow any government in the world to seize domain names, without due process or any legal protections for the registrants. This is a significant threat to the internet and free speech, and it must be stopped.

The proposal allows Verisign to deny, cancel, redirect, or transfer any domain name registration, in its "unlimited and sole discretion." This new language opens the door for "any government," "any administrative authority," and "any government authority" to take control of domain names, without any oversight or legal protections.

This proposal is not only dangerous but also outrageous. It would represent a complete government takeover of domain names and would overturn two decades of global domain name policy. It could pave the way for Verisign to extend the provision to other extensions, such as .COM, which the company also manages.

If the proposed agreement is accepted, any government in the world, including China, Russia, and even a local government like Texas, could order the transfer or suspension of domain names critical of their policies, potentially threatening free speech and internet openness. For example, Ukraine or Russia could order the transfer of pro-Ukrainian or pro-Russian domain names, respectively, to their respective governments. The Taliban government in Afghanistan could similarly order the transfer of domain names promoting education for girls or pro-abortion domains.

Therefore, I urge you to take immediate action to reject this proposal which poses a significant threat to the internet and free speech. It is time to stand up for our rights and protect the open and free nature of the internet.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.