Protectyour.org
FAQs and Glossary

 
What is the PIR protecyour.org Public Awareness Campaign?

The protectyour.org Public Awareness Campaign was launched by PIR in 2006 to raise awareness of the value of .ORG domain names and the potential dangers of allowing .ORG domains to expire.

back to top
 
Why did PIR launch the campaign?

PIR has seen a dramatic increase in the volume of domain name registrations in the .ORG registry, followed by a corresponding increase in deletion transactions during the Add Grace Period. The pattern suggested an increase in a practice whereby expired domain names are selected, tested, kept, or discarded according to their potential to generate revenue. PIR is concerned about the consequences associated with relinquished/expired domains that are purchased based on traffic and subsequently utilized in a manner that may be contradictory to the original registrant’s intent.

back to top
 
What are the potential consequences of allowing .ORG domain names to expire and then be deleted?

The most extreme example is a Rape Counseling Center, whose site was converted to a hyperlink haven for sex toys and subscription-based adult Web pages once the site’s domain name had expired and was deleted.

PIR believes that the consequences to .ORG registrants can be especially harmful. Though organizations are not required to be nonprofits in order to register a .ORG domain, most .ORGs are associated with nonprofits, noncommercial organizations, arts cultural organizations, foundations, charities, and others who are working in the public interest. PIR believes that the relationship between those types of organizations and their members and constituents makes them particularly vulnerable.

back to top
 
What can I do to protect my .ORG domain?

As part of its protectyour.org Public Awareness Campaign, PIR has published a booklet titled 5 Steps to Protecting Your .ORG Domain. We recommend obtaining a copy of the booklet and following the instructions for ensuring that your .ORG domains are protected and the value of the .ORG domain space is preserved.

back to top
 
I registered a domain name a while ago. How do I know if it expired?

You can obtain information about your domain names, including expiration dates and contact information, from your registrar (the company from which you registered the name).

back to top
 
What if I don’t know or can’t remember the name of the company from which I registered my .ORG domain name?

You can conduct a Whois search for a .ORG domain name from the PIR home page. The name of the registrar that registered your .ORG domain name should be listed in the results.

back to top
 
Will I be notified when my domain name is about to expire?

Your registrar should notify you in advance of your domain name’s expiration date with instructions on how to renew. You may receive notification by e-mail or postal mail (or both), depending on the contact information the registrar has on file (which is why it’s important to check, verify, and update contact information if you’ve changed e-mail addresses or moved). You can also check the status of your domain names by logging onto your account with your registrar and viewing domain name information.

back to top
 
What happens if I don’t respond to expiration notices?

If your .ORG domain name expires, the .ORG registry will auto-renew the domain name for one year and debit your registrar's account for the renewal fee. If your registrar does not receive your registration payment, your registrar can take one of several actions, including deleting or placing your domain name on "Hold". These actions will remove your domain name from the .ORG zone file, and all Internet services, including e-mail, for that domain name will cease.

back to top
 
What’s the maximum amount of time a domain name can be registered?

You can register a domain name for one to 10 years.

back to top
 
What can I do if a domain name I previously registered expired and has been repurchased by someone else?

You must contact your registrar or reseller to determine what, if anything, can be done. You also may file a complaint with ICANN.

back to top
 
What role does PIR play in the .ORG domain space?

The Public Interest Registry – or PIR – maintains the master database of domain names for the .ORG Top-Level Domain. As per the ICANN/PIR Registry Agreement, PIR does not sell .ORG domain name registrations directly to customers. .ORG domain name registrations are handled through registrars. You can find a list of registries at http://pir.org/GetAOrg/RegistrarList.aspx

For more in-depth information related to obtaining and maintaining .ORG domains, see PIR's FAQs

back to top
 

Glossary of Terms

.ORG – An open and unrestricted Internet generic top-level domain

 

Add Grace Period – A 5-day period following initial registration of a domain during which a registrant can choose to keep, delete, renew or transfer the name.

Administrative Contact – The person listed as the primary administrative contact for a particular domain name

Domain name – A name that identifies one or more IP addresses. Domain names are used in URLs to identify particular Web pages, such as www.pir.org

Domain tasting – The practice of purchasing, testing, rejecting, and selecting domain names based on their ability to generate traffic

Expiration date (domain names) – The date that domain-name registration period expires

Registrants (domain name) – The person or organization who has registered a domain name through a certified domain name registrar

Public Interest Registry (PIR) – The registry that maintains the master database of .ORG domains

Redemption Grace Period (RGP) – The status of a domain name once it has been deleted. Through the RGP, the registrant has 30 days from the time the domain name is deleted to restore and renew it. Then goes into Redemption Hold Period

Registry – An organization that manages and maintains domain names for a top-level domain, such as .ORG, .COM, and .EDU

Technical Contact – The person listed as the primary technical contact for a particular domain name

Top-Level Domain (TLD) – The suffix affixed to all domain names. A TLD is either a generic top-level domain (gTLD), such as "org" for "organization," "com" for "commercial," and so forth, or a country code top-level domain (ccTLD), such as "fr" for France or "br" for brazil.

WHOIS – A database where you may view domain name status, create and expiration dates, registrants and contact information

© 2007 protectyour.org | info@protectyour.org | design: The Rickard Group & incompra.com