<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">Just wanted to let everyone know that the Italian Data Privacy Commissioner is invited to our NCUC meeting on Tuesday, March 2nd, in Rome to talk about data privacy protections and WHOIS domain name registration data. (Letter below.) <BR>
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I'll let you know what happens. Hope you can attend the meeting as well! -kathy<BR>
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Mr. Giovanni Buttarelli<BR>
Segretario Generale Autorita Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali<BR>
February 11, 2004<BR>
<BR>
Dear Mr. Buttarelli:<BR>
<BR>
On behalf of ICANN's Noncommercial Users Constituency<BR>
(NCUC), I would like to thank you for the contribution of the Article 29<BR>
Data Protection Working Group to ICANN in June 2003. This document<BR>
has become a pivotal one in the debate now taking place on WHOIS within<BR>
ICANN. As the representatives of individuals, families, hobby groups, and<BR>
noncommercial organizations who use the Internet for noncommercial<BR>
communication, we feel ICANN too often fails to protect basic privacy and<BR>
human rights principles. <BR>
<BR>
We find it auspicious that at this important time, the ICANN<BR>
meeting takes place in Rome. ICANN now has three (3) task forces<BR>
meeting to decide policy on different aspects of the WHOIS data, yet key<BR>
private sector actors continue to deny that comprehensive data protection<BR>
laws even apply to WHOIS data. <BR>
<BR>
The Noncommercial Users Constituency would be like to invite you<BR>
to talk with us about Italian law and the EU Privacy Directive at our<BR>
meeting in Rome on the morning of Tuesday, March 2nd. We would be<BR>
honored if you would meet with us. If you are willing, we would like to<BR>
open your discussion to reporters and any in the ICANN community who<BR>
would like to discuss this important topic. As an alternate date, we would<BR>
also be able to set up a meeting for the morning of Thursday, March 4th.<BR>
<BR>
If you are willing to participate, please contact Dr. Mueller at<BR>
mueller@syr.edu or myself at KathrynKl@aol.com. Sincere thanks for<BR>
your consideration and your leadership in this area. <BR>
<BR>
Sincerely yours,<BR>
Dr. Milton Mueller, <BR>
Chairman, Noncommercial Users Constituency<BR>
Dean, Information Studies, Syracuse University, NY<BR>
Kathryn A. Kleiman, Esq. <BR>
Co-Founder, Noncommercial Users Constituency<BR>
Internet Law & Policy Specialist, <BR>
McLeod, Watkinson & Miller, Washington DC<BR>
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