The Internet was voluntary for a long time, which was okay. Some chunks of it moved into more formal settings bit by bit, which was okay. Some bits, unfortunately, got ripped away from the volunteers almost at gunpoint; it went from "we don't care what you geeks are doing" to "hand it over now or we sue" without going through the intervening "we can do that now, thanks," or even "we'd like to control that, if you don't mind."

Wasn't .au untimely rip't recently? Or am I misremembering?