Re: Verizon's Position on Open Access to Customer Data (was Re: [gnso-dow123] Seachange?)

[Ross Rader <ross@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm actually sort of surprised at how much press this matter seems to be 
getting. As a foreign observer of US politics, I formed the impression 
over the last few years that US domestic policy was such that national 
security had been prioritized at the expense individual privacy rights. 
These comments from Michael Copps of the FCC seem to contradict my 
perspective. I am heartened to see that the USG still seeks to balance 
these two important tensions.

"The Federal Communications Commission should investigate whether phone 
companies are violating federal communications law by providing calling 
records to the National Security Agency as part of an anti-terrorism 
program, an FCC commissioner said Monday.

"There is no doubt that protecting the security of the American people 
is our government's No. 1 responsibility," Commissioner Michael J. 
Copps, a Democrat, said in a statement. "But in a digital age where 
collecting, distributing and manipulating consumers' personal 
information is as easy as a click of a button, the privacy of our 
citizens must still matter."

More here: http://tinyurl.com/grh37

The results of such an investigation would be instructive for this task 
force - I am certain that it would provide us greater insight into the 
various public policy issues surrounding the uncontrolled disclosure of 
customer information on the scale required by the existing whois policy. 
It would also be helpful to understand if other countries and regions 
are moving closer to the European and Canadian model as the US seems to 
be. It would also be informative for this task force to hear from the 
FCC regarding their view of the current whois model, especially as it 
relates to their experience with the contact privacy issues surrounding 
the .US whois.

-ross


Ross Rader wrote:
> maggie.mansourkia@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>  > Ross-
>  > If you had a point about the statement below, I missed it.
>  > Maggie
>
> Sorry Maggie - I should have been clearer. My apologies. I wasn't 
> actually making a point, but I wouldn't mind hearing from any of the 
> ISPs involved in this issue whether or not their position regarding 
> their own customer data extends to similar treatment of other's customer 
> data as well. As you know, the registrar position has long been that we 
> should not be required to provide unfettered access to our customer 
> records via the Whois as is currently required under the existing Whois 
> policy.
>
> Since Verizon has adopted the same position vis-à-vis their customer 
> data and the USG, I would like to hear more about if and when Verizon 
> will alter their policy position on Whois to make it consistent with the 
> position espoused in the press report below.
>
> It would be wonderful if ISPs and their suppliers within the registrar 
> and registry communities could present a unified voice alongside the 
> privacy advocates to the United States and other governments on this 
> matter.
>
> Warm regards,


Regards,

--

                       -rr








                "Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions.
                                           All life is an experiment.
                            The more experiments you make the better."
                        - Ralph Waldo Emerson


Contact Info:

Ross Rader
Director, Research & Innovation
Tucows Inc.
t. 416.538.5492
c. 416.828.8783

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