ICANN - Dave Hepplewhite Says Respect Our Privacy

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Dear ICANN - 

Regarding the proposed rules governing companies that provide WHOIS privacy
services (as set forth in the Privacy and Policy Services Accreditation
Issues Policy document):

Your proposed actions create yet another route by which the unscrupulous
may attack privacy. 

Personal information is valuable to criminals and making it widely and
easily available online is a dangerous and irresponsible act. I would
suggest that any criminal activity which results in harm or loss to
individuals - and can be shown to be as a consequence of the proposed
enforcement - would place some liability on ICANN.

Further, I would question whether such proposed measures can be enforced
here in the UK, as the Data Protection Act creates criminal offences
connected to the revealing of personal data.

I urge you to respect internet users' rights to privacy and due process. 


- Everyone deserves the right to privacy. 
- No one's personal information should be revealed without a court order,
regardless of whether the request comes from a private individual or law
enforcement agency. 

Private information should be kept private. 

Regards,

Dave Hepplewhite