ICANN - Respect our privacy

[Paul van der Walt <paul.vanderwalt@xxxxxxxx>]

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):

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.

Numerous examples of danger to personal safety are enabled by this type
of policy:

- the small business owner who is threatened/extorted by an unsavory
  character who knows the business owner's home address,

- the activist in a country with restrictive free speech laws, etc.

Let's not allow the Internet to become totalitarian. Private information
should be kept private. Thank you.