Please don't destroy privacy

[Jason Owen <jason.a.owen@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I am concerned by the current proposal regarding privacy and proxy
services. I believe it to be invasive and dangerous, and I ask ICANN
to reconsider previous proposals to sunset the WHOIS service.

The potential for harm this policy would have is high, and worse, the
harm it could cause would most affect the most vulnerable peoples in
our society. Doxxing is a serious threat, and those who perform it
have demonstrated an aptitude for social engineering. Unlike a DCMA
takedown, where the accused loses service only until they have a
chance to respond, revealing personal details is an irreversible
process.

The WHOIS service was created for a previous era, and the need it
filled is gone. Meanwhile, as a society we've learned not the dangers
of so-called real names policies and the all-too-often tragic
consequences of having personal details public by default. Free speech
requires a medium in which to speak, and we will all lose out by
raising the cost of free speech, whether the cost be financial or risk
of harm.

Please reduce the scope of the WHOIS service rather than expand it.

Sincerely,
Jason