[ppml] Last Call Petition Vote request on Policy Proposal 2003-9 (Whois Acceptalble Use)

[william(at)elan.net]

As an author of the proposal 2003-9 which is currently being considered 
for abandonment due latest action by ARIN AC, I'm asking for people who 
support this policy proposal to reply to this post or otherwise post to 
the list on ppml stating your support and to send email to petition at arin.net
confirming that within the next 10 days. As specified in the ARIN Internet
Policy Evaluation Process this is an effort to advance the proposal through
"Last Call Petition Process".

The policy proposal text is available at 
http://www.arin.net/policy/2003_9.html

Full history of this proposal with previous versions and with summary of 
the activities related to this proposal together with centrally collected 
copies of ARIN AC and Public Policy Meetings minutes  can be found at 
http://www.elan.net/~william/arin_whoisaup_history.htm

The proposal tries to deal with current situation that standard ARIN whois 
queries have no data protection and people are free to use the data obtained
that way any any way they want including for sending unsoliciated emails 
and for unsolicited phone calls by marketeers (and both happened to me 
and were specifically result of arin data). I believe my position that we 
dont want arin whois data to be used in this way is supported by majority. 
Additionally proposal addresses some issues with bulk whois access 
providing for standard and expanded process of how this data can be 
obtained and allowing for bulk whois data to be received by individuals 
(current bulk whois only allows access to organizations).

I note that this policy is being considered for abandonment because possibly
there was not enough participation to show support for it during last public
policy meeting in April (although majority of those who voted were in 
support for it). In fact this was the very last public policy proposal
on the last day of the meeting just several hours before it were to end and
I very much felt that there was certain apathy to participation as people
were simply tired. As a result there were less then 10 people voting total.
However during previous meeting the same policy proposal with almost same
text (the only change was removal of legal language as was requested by 
the AC) received more then 25 votes for it as well as during previous
meetings there was shown equal or larger support for having unified whois 
aup as well. The comments received from participants in regards to text 
of the AUP were all included when authoring current version of the 
proposal. and it would be bad if this effort to improve current whois 
access procedures and policies were to be abandoned which I have worked 
on for more then year now.

I also note that the only opposition shown during latest meeting was
from chair of the AC who thinks the policy is unenforceable. I disagree
and can point to many cases where registry whois AUPs have been enforced 
including by legal means if necessary. Additionally on last meeting there 
was some discussion on how strong the AUP should be and what ARIN should 
do in cases of violations. I have specifially worded proposal in such a 
way as to remove actual legal text and to let ARIN council decided this. 
I'm not against stronger action by ARIN if ARIN council thinks this should 
be included as part of the AUP text, that is fine. I'm however against 
having these actions specifially spelled out as part of the proposal text 
and support Leo Bicknell's position that separate ARIN policy should deal 
with what actions are appropriate to be taken in regards to violations of 
ARIN policies.

P.S. My apologies for sending this call petition request so late, I know 
its already almost 11:30pm here and its the last day when I can send this 
petition. I did note that however before that I would be doing it this 
week. Also I'll be making small reminder about this petition on Tuesday, 
the reason is that Monday is a holiday and I think many may choose to 
leave for vacation tomorrow and may not return before Tuesday and as such 
may not notice this post when they come back in next week.

-- 
William Leibzon
Elan Networks
william at elan.net