Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset=us-ascii
Mime-Version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 13.4 \(3608.80.23.2.2\))
From: Mark Nottingham <mnot@mnot.net>
In-Reply-To: <bff7ce63-e3c1-d5b7-fc8d-dbf54fffc128@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 09:16:57 +1000
Cc: Lars Eggert <lars@eggert.org>,
 ietf-and-github@ietf.org
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Message-Id: <AEE1BDCE-9FC3-481B-A3A5-53CBB783A08E@mnot.net>
References: <3FD4710B-52E4-4D84-A4F2-AC4BA074252D@eggert.org>
 <13E62784-0343-4E22-AE61-73F33165F8BD@mnot.net>
 <bff7ce63-e3c1-d5b7-fc8d-dbf54fffc128@gmail.com>
To: Brian E Carpenter <brian.e.carpenter@gmail.com>
Archived-At: <https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/msg/ietf-and-github/Gd7YgtluvBVU7Rg1CEe1J3DZWUI>
Subject: Re: [Ietf-and-github] GitHub Sponsors for Organizations
Precedence: list



> On 26 May 2020, at 6:48 am, Brian E Carpenter =
<brian.e.carpenter@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> On 24-May-20 17:22, Mark Nottingham wrote:
>> I don't think this is a good idea -- at least not without a lot more =
checking / consultation.
>=20
> Mark, I think that funds directed at a specific draft/solution would =
be a bad thing for many reasons, not least being that money is not a =
proxy for technical quality, and the IETF is supposed to choose =
solutions for their technical merit. So IMHO the funds must not be =
labelled with "quic" or any other specific technology.

Right; that's the problem. =46rom the users' perspective, they're =
sponsoring 'quic'.=20


> But if the funds are by construction sent to a suitable general =
account via ISOC or IETF LLC, I don't see an ethical problem, and =
(IANAL) I doubt there could be anti-trust problems, and they could =
presumably be treated as 501(c)(3) donations for US tax purposes.
>=20
> I agree of course that this must be carefully checked by legal/tax =
experts.
>=20
> If the LLC stopped accepting donations, I think we'd have much more =
fundamental problems.
>=20
>   Brian
>=20
>>=20
>> Potential issues:
>>=20
>> - The primary purpose of standards (at least to lawyers) is =
countering anti-trust concerns. Does allowing sponsorship of individual =
efforts create a perception of conflict of interest? Especially if the =
sponsorships are visible to the Chairs, the WG, etc.
>>=20
>> - GitHub appears to require you to create a Stripe account for the =
funds to be deposited into. Presumably, you'd then forward them to IETF =
LLC. Does this  create any reporting obligations or potential =
liabilities for you in the EU, US, etc.?
>>=20
>> - Likewise, as a co-controller of the GitHub account, does it create =
any obligations for me and Lucas (keeping in mind that I'm a citizen of =
two countries, one of which is has a notoriously complex tax system)?
>>=20
>> - What measures will we take to make the forwarding of funds (as well =
as any deducted fees, currency conversions, etc.) transparent to donors?
>>=20
>> - If the LLC stops accepting donations, where will remaining funds =
go?
>>=20
>> Etc.
>>=20
>> Cheers,
>>=20
>>=20
>>> On 23 May 2020, at 12:19 am, Lars Eggert <lars@eggert.org> wrote:
>>>=20
>>> Hi,
>>>=20
>>> so orgs can now set themselves up to receive sponsorships through =
GitHub Sponsors: https://github.com/sponsors/accounts
>>>=20
>>> I'm contemplating a test balloon with the quicwg org, setting it up =
so that any sponsorship would go to the IETF LLC.
>>>=20
>>> Anyone see a downside to this?
>>>=20
>>> Thanks,
>>> Lars
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ietf-and-github mailing list
>>> Ietf-and-github@ietf.org
>>> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-and-github
>>=20
>> --
>> Mark Nottingham   https://www.mnot.net/
>>=20
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ietf-and-github mailing list
>> Ietf-and-github@ietf.org
>> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-and-github
>>=20

--
Mark Nottingham   https://www.mnot.net/