[At-Large] [NA-Discuss] Community Input Requested on Two DraftStatements from ALAC to the ICANN Board

[Derek Smythe]

Blogs.pn wrote:
> I just think that if this is supposed to be to the benefit of 
> registrants, then the registrant should be the one choosing the option. 
> This is not a case of "most people want their whois info private, 
> therefore everyone must have their whois information private" or vice 
> versa situation.
> 
> Each registrant should be able to choose for themselves. For example, I 
> do not want my whois information private. I like transparency. I like my 
> potential clients to have the ability to see who owns my business or who 
> owns the domain name I do business with. I can also see how some people 
> would rather have it private for very legitimate reasons.
> 
> I just do not believe that their reasons for wanting privacy are greater 
> than my reason for not wanting it or vice versa. Why should their wishes 
> override my wishes or my wishes override their wishes?
> 
> I'm definitely for enforcing that the whois information is accurate 
> whether the registrant chooses privacy or not. But that is a separate 
> issue. Why must the privacy issue be a one side wins or the other side 
> wins situation? Personal choice should override all other concerns in my 
> opinion.
> 
> Chris McElroy
> 
> 

Well said Chris!

I believe there are options for registrants who would wish their whois 
to be private, since registrars do provide such a service. I myself 
use such a service as pointed out in my mail, also for a very 
legitimate reason.

Likewise there are those who abuse the current whois privacy 
mechanisms by hiding fake whois data behind privacy services to avoid 
responsibility for the domain usage.

There are many legitimate businesses and normal registrants who prefer 
their whois to be shown. In fact a protected whois record for business 
is a red flag.

As regards the whois accuracy issue, this was the original statement I 
believe should stay as is:

 >* WHOIS Accuracy and Reporting. We all know that WHOIS is very
 > inaccurate. This is a very serious problem and considerable effort
 > needs to be made to improve this situation....


Derek