Comments of News Corporation on the Purpose of Whois

["Fares, David" <DFares@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

News Corporation, a global multi-media company with an expanding presence on
the Internet, has a long-standing practice of using the Whois database for
several purposes, including to monitor and conduct IP infringement and
network security investigations.  If our ability to use the Whois database
for these purposes is restricted it would limit our ability to respond in a
timely manner to threats to our company and the overall security and
stability of the Internet.  Moreover, the experience of Internet users would
be compromised as they would not benefit from the smooth functioning of the
Internet in general and News Corporation's websites in particular, e.g. the
inability to access a website that is the subject of a DDoS attack.
Finally, maintaining the current scope of permissible Whois uses preserves
scarce government resources, since it helps companies like News Corporation
to investigate and seek to resolve illegal and potentially criminal online
activity using its own resources.  This conserves those scarce government
resources for the small subset of these cases which cannot be resolved
without the initiation of a lawsuit or other court proceedings, or a
criminal prosecution.  With the above in mind, News Corporation supports the
broader purpose of Whois as set forth in the second option of the Whois Task
Force's Preliminary Report.  If the first option were to be adopted the
beneficial uses that News Corporation now makes of the Whois database would
become much more difficult and often impossible.

 

 

 




-----------------------------------------
This message and its attachments may contain legally privileged or
confidential information.  It is intended solely for the named
addressee.  If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or
responsible for delivery of the message to the addressee), you may not
copy or deliver this message or its attachments to anyone. Rather, you
should permanently delete this message and its attachments and kindly
notify the sender by reply e-mail.  Any content of this message and its
attachments that does not relate to the official business of News
America Incorporated or its subsidiaries must be taken not to have been
sent or endorsed by any of them.  No representation is made that this
email or its attachments are without defect.