Submit Comments to ICANN on WHOIS Policy Development

[Frannie Wellings]

Hi all - We need lots of comments - please submit your own and
forward far and wide! :)  Thank you, Frannie

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- TAKE ACTION -

  -- Your comments are needed in order to protect privacy on the Internet

  -- Comment to ICANN on WHOIS policy preliminary reports

  -- Deadline for comment is June 17th - just one week away

  -- We've made commenting easy at
http://www.thepublicvoice.org/take_action/default.html

  -- Please send any questions to wellings at epic.org

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[6/09/04]


Dear Friends,

For just one week longer, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN) will accept public comment on its reports issued
on WHOIS policy changes.  The WHOIS database is a public directory of
domain registrant data available and searchable online.  Currently,
registrants must enter information as personal as name, address,
telephone number, and e-mail address in addition to technical contact
information, all of which can be found on the public WHOIS database.

There are ICANN three task forces (access to WHOIS, data required for
WHOIS, and accuracy requirements for WHOIS) which have each issued
preliminary reports and each require public comment.  Not one public
comment has been submitted so far.  Please don't let this opportunity
pass by.  Help shape WHOIS policy in the interest of privacy and
civil liberties protections.

The policy developed for the WHOIS database could have a significant
impact on privacy, civil liberties, and freedom of expression for
Internet users.  The WHOIS database broadly exposes domain
registrants' personal data to a global audience, including criminals
and spammers.

We believe that ICANN should work to ensure that network
administrators have access to accurate information so they can
contact domain registrants for technical purposes. However, this
action also requires the establishment of corresponding privacy
safeguards, including reduced access and minimal data requirements,
to encourage the submission of accurate data.  In addition, users of
domain names have a legitimate expectation of privacy and right to
free speech, which should be protected.

We have created a web page to make it easy for you to submit
comments.  It has information about WHOIS, including the Preliminary
Reports for each task force and the opinion of the Non-Commercial
Users Constituency (the non-profit/NGO representatives to ICANN) for
each task force.  We've posted the e-mail addresses for comment
submission as well as NCUC contacts for those who have questions.  As
many people don't have time to be engrossed in this process, we've
also posted suggestions for key points to express to each task force
to make commenting easier.  However, please put these ideas in your
own words.

We need ICANN to hear your opinions to show that people care about
strong privacy safeguards based on internationally accepted
standards, and require their integration into WHOIS policy.  Domain
registrants should not be required to submit extensive data that
could lead to fraud victimization or political persecution.

We would sincerely appreciate it if you would submit comments to
ICANN on each of these three task forces.

Just go to http://www.thepublicvoice.org/take_action/default.html to
find out more and to submit comments.

Thank you for your help with this.


Frannie Wellings <wellings at epic.org>
Marc Rotenberg <rotenberg at epic.org>


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Frannie Wellings
Policy Analyst, Electronic Privacy Information Center
Coordinator, The Public Voice
1718 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C.  20009   USA
wellings at epic.org
+1 202 483 1140 extension 107 (telephone)
+1 202 483 1248 (fax)
http://www.epic.org
http://www.thepublicvoice.org
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