RE: [gnso-thickwhoispdp-wg] Dangers and risks of thick Whois

["Balleste, Roy" <rballeste@xxxxxxx>]

Evan,

I see your point.  Yet, the main issue is not anonymity, but rather data 
protection and the universal process to be utilized.

Roy Balleste, J.S.D.
Professor of Law
Law Library Director
St. Thomas University
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33054  USA
1-305-623-2341

From: owner-gnso-thickwhoispdp-wg@xxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:owner-gnso-thickwhoispdp-wg@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Evan Leibovitch
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 10:27 AM
To: Amr Elsadr
Cc: Thick Whois
Subject: Re: [gnso-thickwhoispdp-wg] Dangers and risks of thick Whois

On 29 January 2013 07:45, Amr Elsadr 
<aelsadr@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:aelsadr@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

Apart from agreeing with Frédéric's response, I feel that online anonymity is 
in some circumstances an important measure that needs to be taken to avoid 
danger scenarios. It is true that almost all registrant information is publicly 
accessible despite registering domain names with registrars in 
countries/jurisdictions with data privacy laws. Being an Egyptian, I have a 
very personal perspective on the issue of online anonymity and feel that a 
policy for all existing and future gTLDs registries using "thick" Whois is a 
step backwards for practicing freedom of expression.

This raises a common implicit yet unchallenged assumption -- that there is a 
necessary link between freedom of speech and owning a domain name.

As someone who runs a site that hosts a number of anonymous bloggers -- none of 
whom requires their own domain name in order to protect their anonymity -- I am 
unconvinced of that assumed link. Furthermore, privacy is not synonymous with 
anonymity.

- Evan