Domain Registration Related News
Domain name contact information and the right to anonymity
February 2006
The conflict between the open Internet the one we all love for its
small users and free speech and the commercial Internet with high
barriers to entry continues. The conflicts back this week in ICANN,
which came into being in the midst of the conflict and has been
subject to its vicissitudes for over seven years.
A long-standing debate over the use of WHOIS data is coming to a head.
It seems like a small, fussy issue, but its significant. If you want
your own domain name, you have to provide contact information. This
information, called the WHOIS database, is currently open to the whole
world. ICANN realizes it has to be more private, but has been
struggling with how many safeguards to put around it.
As an open medium, the Internet offers free expression to everyone and
everyone includes those who must remain
anonymous for any reason. Were getting used to
thinking of the Internet as a medium that gives
users unprecedented opportunities to spill the
beans about themselves: the results can be seen
all over the popular social networking and photo
sites.
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