Re: [council] Regarding data collected and the purpose of collecting data

[Mawaki Chango <ki_chango@xxxxxxxxx>]

Just a story, and a last reflection on this -

The last time I registered a domain name, I was informed that to
comply with the ICANN requirements, the registrar will display my
personal data in the WHOIS database which is public. However, they
offered that for additional fee (I forgot the amount, but it was
higher that the registration fee itself), they could keep my data
private to avoid the hassle (spam, etc.) related to the fact that
anyone would access my personal data, otherwise. And reading more, I
realized the fee was not collected per registrant, but per name
registered (even with the same registrar, for each time one
registers, one must provide one's personal data through the same
process), so I decided not to pay that fee, and since then I of
course receive all the spam I can get, etc.

This story shows that (i) the data can be kept private (and of course
they will be released when requested by legal process), and (ii)
everyone knows that having the data publicly available feeds spam and
alike, and could cause hassle (even threaten authors of dissident
speech in various and unpredicted circomstances).

I have nothing against people making business out of their innovative
ideas, etc. I just don't think it is ICANN's mission to secure
business opportunities (especially like that one), while for the sake
of it, exposing people's privacy without their consent, and
poptentially people's life.

Mawaki


--- Ross Rader <ross@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Philip originally wrote;
> >>> I agree. It is not my logic. I am NOT making the assertion in
> (2).
> >>> You assume that because a Registrar agreement TODAY requires
> public 
> >>> access, that is the status quo upon which we are defining the
> purpose 
> >>> of WHOIS.
> >>> In other words you are defining purpose only in the context of
> the 
> >>> current means of access.
> >>
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Ross replied;
> > The implication is quite obviously different than how it appears
> to you. 
> > The assumptions made have nothing to do with the status quo, and 
> > everything to do with refining the status quo to make it more
> useful and 
> > more meaningful to a broader set of participants. This is what
> our 
> > policy development processes are all about - change.
> > 
> 
> Apologies, its early around these parts - this last paragraph
> should 
> have read:
> 
> The implication is quite obviously different than how it appears to
> you. 
> The assumptions made have nothing to do with setting definitions in
> 
> terms of the the status quo, and everything to do with refining the
> 
> status quo to make it more useful and more meaningful to a broader
> set 
> of participants. This is what our policy development processes are
> all 
> about - change.
>