Email this page to a friend!

Notice (8): Undefined index:  url [APP/views/blogs/index.ctp, line 43]

A New Domain Ending That Could Change The World
 

This is a guest blog by dotHIV, an initiative to fight HIV and AIDS using the power of the Internet. 

A revolution is upon us!

The Internet is about to change: Soon, the ICANN (an authority which oversees all online-name rights) will open an application window for new top-level-domains. Only during this short time span, applications for new domain-endings like .canon or .berlin can be handed in. We want to use this opportunity for a groundbreaking form of social business - and submit an application for the domain-ending .hiv

Why a domain-ending?

Because a global problem needs a global solution. AIDS kills more than 2 million people every year – but 2 billion people use the Internet every day. We want to use the power of the Internet to bring the virus back into the mind of the people and create a completely new way of generating donations by selling the domain-ending .hiv as an interesting product. Our goal is to create a new and unique form of non-profit business rather than a conventional charity.

So how does .hiv work?

 

 

It works similar to the 'normal' red ribbon: A company buys the domain-ending '.hiv' to show solidarity with the fight against the virus. But whereas the red ribbon is a conventional charity-item, .hiv is a new form of social business: The donated money fills a pool of funds and with every click on a .hiv-website, the Internet users redirect a small amount of money to a charity of their choice. Of course the content of the site remains the same: google.com and google.hiv will not differ.

 

The donations are distributed on a website, where initiatives and organizations from all over the world can gather support by presenting their work. Transparency and expediency are ensured, because the Internet community decides, which projects should be supported. An independent board of experts will supervise the process.

Why do we need your pledges?

The ICANN will only open the application window for 2 months and once it closes, it will not open again for years. Now is our chance! Since we are a social business start-up, we need your help to get funding money: Approximately $200.000 are necessary to cover the application fee and technical operations. Once the application is approved and enough .hiv-domains are sold within one year, we expect to be able to pay back ten times the amount through donations to HIV-projects all over the world.

Who is behind .hiv?

We are a small team and have been working hard on getting our idea started for one year now. Some of us work in an advertising agency in Hamburg/Germany, others have worked in the non-profit-sector or in online-fundraising.

What can you do?

By establishing .hiv, we want to anchor the awareness for and the fight against HIV and AIDS in the cornerstones of the Internet and create a never seen form of social business. If you want to become a part of this idea which could change the world pledge to this cause and help us establish an innovative and completely new channel for generating donations for the fight against HIV and AIDS.

• Visit our website and facebook page and support us with your vote
• We are also sourcing funds for the application process on the crowd-sourcing platform IndieGoGo
• Please use any form of communication and help us spread the message to make this idea become reality

Thanks for your support!

We tried to explain a big idea in a few words. If you have questions or want to give us your feedback, check our website dothiv.org or write us an email to mail@dothiv.org. Or you can just leave us a comment on facebook.com/dothiv.
Posted by dotHIV in What Can I Do? for column Action Stories on Nov 7th 2011, 09:28
Comments: 4 | Post a Comment