[ppml] Last Call for Comment: Policy Proposal 2003-3

[Ian Baker]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Michael.Dillon at radianz.com>
To: <ppml at arin.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [ppml] Last Call for Comment: Policy Proposal 2003-3


<snip>

> Today, it is easy for network abusers to hide themselves in the mass
> of useless, inacurate SWIP data. The solution is not to create huge
> bureaucracies with stiff and complex publishing requirements. I believe
> we are better off if we simplify. Get rid of all the data currently
> in whois. Require the organizations with direct allocations from ARIN
> to publish contact information. Offer other organizations the option
> to also publish their own contact information if their upstream
> agrees to offload abuse issues to that organization. A simple policy
> with clear and unambiguous delegation of responsibility will remove
> the hiding places for spammers and their ilk.

Hardly. From what you've just said, this provides them an /ideal/ hiding
place (as you put it) -

"Hello, Mr. Spammer. Do you want us to publish your contact information?"
"No. I'd prefer that Spamhaus (or whoever) didn't find me this time around.
Please force my millions of foreign victims to resort to expensive
cross-border legal instruments"
"Ah, that'd do nicely, sir - we can even reduce the funding for our AUP team
without anyone being the wiser"

Certainly not true in many cases, but it might be instructive to take an
analogous look at German data protection law - just to see what /can/
happen.

Regards,

Ian Baker
Webmaster, codecutters.org