Coment on Domain Privacy

[robert w davis <robertwyattdavis@xxxxxxxxx>]

With regard to publishing email contact information in the WHOIS database open 
to 
anyone who wants to read it.

I am a user that in some cases uses an internet domain registrar to hide 
personal  information about Domain ownership
from casual observation by just anyone who is curious.

In my case I do this for most of my domains. Almost all of them point or forward
to the same serve and there is some contact information on the website.

In at least one case the WHOIS database has my direct rather than a forwarded 
email address.
It is this contact information that is the primary source of much spam and 
unsavory email and USPS mail.

Inability to control personal information about website ownership can be the 
source of many unhappy things.

We are aware there is much hate in this world and even reasoned comments such 
as defending the science of climate change and
evolution can generation much abuse on the internet. Comments about some 
religions can be life threatening.

It is no joke that if detailed information about a writer is easily available 
such as who and where they live and they make a comment 
critical of some group (Like ISIS) there is a risk of stimulating a terrorist 
attack. It is a challenge to free speech.

If a website is being used for hate or illegal activities then the origin 
should be findable by authorities .  But the process
should be transparent and contestable. It should not be available to anyone who 
makes a malicious accusation.
We need to protect free speech and also protect from intimidation.  

Very personal domains need to be able to control access to their personal 
information. As an example info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
does not say where I live.  But if a query to the WHOIS database tells all then 
I have no control over the spam, phishes and
spoofing attacks I get at my forwarded address.

What is illegal use of a website seems to vary greatly from country to country. 
 Having virtually any complaint close a website
with no reasonable way of challenging the truth of a complaint puts url owners 
at the mercy of all kinds of mischief. 

And there is always the chance that a financial government may take over and 
use any database that has been compiled 
for presumably honorable reasons to then be greatly misused.  For that reason 
even government access to 
domain ownership needs to be limited to specific requests rather than global 
data dumps.

ICANN needs to act like a true international keeper of impartial accurate 
domain information with protections
for access to personal information by those seeking the information for the 
purposes of spamming, soliciting, intimidation,
harassing, stalking and denial of service.

Domain Privacy as practiced by some internet registrars is an attempt to solve 
the problem produced by too much personal information
being available from the WHOIS database to whoever asks.

Robert W Davis

Victim of much Spam. Phishes, and Attempts to get me to change Internet 
Registrars.
and user of internet domains with domain privacy for only honorable purposes.