Still attempting to save face from Strikethrough 2007, Six Apart has announced it will be selling permanent accounts on popular blogging site LiveJournal.  The sale was announced last month shortly before the suspension debacle, but doesn't go live until tomorrow, June 21st.  Permanent account sales are held every couple of years (whenever the company wants to make some extra cash up front).  The last sale was held in June 2005.  The price tag of $150 has stayed the same since then, but in another play for good press, the company is offering to donate $25 from each sale in the first 36 hours to RAINN, Witness, the EFF and Creative Commons, either distributed among the or earmarked for specific organizations.  (You read the phrase "first 36 hours" right -- unlike in previous years, the permanent account sale lasts a full week.)

According to SA honcho Barak Berkowitz, "W[e] at Six Apart care about freedom of speech, protection from sexual violence, creating an economy that encourages sharing, and using technology to improve the world. As many of you have said, those are easy words to say, but actions speak louder than words. We agree. So we're putting our money where our mouth is, and giving you a way to influence how much money we give."

Not everyone is convinced this is an honest effort.  Several users have commented that they don't want to spend money on a permanent account until and unless Six Apart finishes clarifying its policies on privacy and freedom of expression.  Many fans don't want to support the company either for reasons of solidarity with those who were affected by the suspensions, or simply because no matter what Six Apart's stated policies, they do not feel LiveJournal is a safe space for their pursuits.  There have been calls for users to donate the $25 directly to their choice of the above organizations.

At least the pirate songs have stopped.