[IP] more on Domain Owners Lose Privacy

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Brad Templeton <btm@templetons.com>
Organization: http://www.templetons.com/brad
Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2005 19:46:00 -0800
To: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
Cc: Ip <ip@v2.listbox.com>
Subject: Re: [IP] more on Domain Owners Lose Privacy

> minimis) is justified against the need to protect against unaccountable
> abuse of domain name resources.

This phrase sends chills through me.   "Unaccountable abuse of domain
name resources."   It's just an address that people can use to find you.

What many people in the anonymous domain debate seem to ignore is
that anybody can create domains at the lower levels.  There are controls
at levels 1 and 2 but I can happily hand out 3rd level domains to
anybody, for free or for an untraceable dollar in the mail accompanied
by a password.   This will always be possible unless you start trying
to add levels of policing all the way down ad infinitum.

What does this mean?   Spammers and abusers will always be able to
get addresses (be they domains or even just URLs or redirectors) for
their purposes.   The regulations trying to block anonymity or
pseudonyms at the second level block not the spammers, but the honest
people simply wanting a bit of privacy in their speech.   The spammer
doesn't care if the URL they lead you to to buy their wares is
long or comples, you often don't even see it.    It's the honest person
who is punished, and the abusers who remain unburdened.  You couldn't
come up with a worse solution than that.

------ End of Forwarded Message


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