Saturday, May 18, 2002, 2:12:55 PM, Robert L Mathews wrote: > Domain owners should be able to feel that any information they provide > will not be released to others unless it's necessary for the operation of > the domain or for legal reasons. Period.
Why should they feel that way? They do not have that assurance when they purchase real estate. All property ownership information is available publicly, without exception. In fact, much like whois, they have to make it available in bulk format (for a fee). There are even companies who specialize in storing all of the information from particular states and nationwide, and making it available for searches (including searching for all property owned by a particular name). A domain name is much like "virtual property" and having POC information available serves a very useful public service. I may eat my words, but I seriously doubt it, when I say that the public access to whois data will not end anytime in the near future. Privacy is not just a right, it is a responsibility as well. If registrants are concerned about personal privacy, then, like in personal property ownership, they can go to lengths to protect their privacy. For a domain name, an agency service like the one Hugh Blair has started, and which I have been saying for many years would be a useful solution to this problem, is a great example of a proactive measure a registrant can take to protect their own privacy. Domain registration providers could even provide this service themselves as an add-on premium service they could market to their customers, such as yours, who desire to protect their privacy. -- Best regards, William X Walsh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- OpenSRS installation and customizations Payment Processing Integration Apache Installation and Support Services http://www.wxsoft.com/
