[arin-ppml] Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4: Resource Issuance to Natural Persons
David Farmer
farmer at umn.edu
Fri May 30 16:46:33 EDT 2025
I would happily accept something like "legally recognized entity or
business," instead of just "legal business."
Whether or not it is stated in the NRPM, it is the current operational
practice. Further, the word organization would not usually be thought of as
including individuals. I'm OK with including individuals operating a
business in their own name. Still, this case is on the line for the
definition of an organization, where individuals who are not operating a
business and are strictly acting as hobbyists are on the other side of that
line, in my opinion.
If you intend this new definition to change the current operational
practice, and include hobbyists, which you clearly do, you must make the
case for changing the current operational practice. You don't get to define
the current operational practice out of existence. Saying that RIPE allows
it really isn't a reason for ARIN to allow it. One of the reasons the RIRs
were created is to allow them to have different policies.
Finally, while I'm willing to be convinced otherwise, I currently don't
support including hobbyists. Still, the current text is far from explicit
that hobbyists are to be included, and is even further from convincing me
that such a change is a good idea.
Thanks.
On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 2:04 PM Tyler O'Meara <arin at tyleromeara.com> wrote:
> Having some kind of legal structure which ARIN staff can verify is part of
> ARIN's current business processes. It is not a requirement stated in the
> NRPM.
> In fact the term "organization", despite being used extensively in the
> NRPM, is
> not defined at all in the NRPM.
>
> ARIN staff has, in the absence of a proper definition, (likely correctly)
> interpreted the term organization to exclude natural persons broadly, with
> some
> exceptions (such as sole proprietorships). However, they have not and do
> not
> require that all organizations engage in business. In fact, many
> organizations
> like government agencies, NGOs and even international treaty organizations
> are,
> and should be, considered to be organizations.
>
> I will note that prior attempts to define organization in the NRPM have
> failed,
> usually because they have not been inclusive enough to capture what we
> actually
> mean. Personally, I think an "organization" for the purposes of the NRPM
> should
> be "an entity or subdivision thereof capable of entering into a legal
> contract
> with ARIN". Any restrictions on who or what can acquire resources, and for
> what
> purposes, belong in the sections defining justifications for those
> resources.
>
> Tyler
>
> On Fri, 2025-05-30 at 13:38 -0500, David Farmer wrote:
> > It is part of the current criteria. Further, calling a natural person,
> who is
> > not acting as a business and is strictly a hobbyist, an organization
> seems a
> > bit of a stretch to me.
> >
> > If you want to change things to include hobbiests, it should be a
> clear and
> > explicit change, not something snuck in the back door of a fuzzy
> definition.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> > On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 1:21 PM Tyler O'Meara <arin at tyleromeara.com>
> wrote:
> > > Why is "Operate as legal businesses within the ARIN service region" a
> > > "fundamental criteria that must be included in the definition of an
> > > organization"?
> > >
> > > That requirement does not seem self-evident to me.
> > >
> > > Tyler
> > >
> > > On Fri, 2025-05-30 at 12:59 -0500, David Farmer via ARIN-PPML wrote:
> > > > I do not support the policy as written. As written, it is unclear
> whether
> > > > natural persons not conducting business and acting solely as
> hobbyists are
> > > > excluded. However, natural persons operating businesses in their own
> name
> > > > should be considered valid organizations.
> > > >
> > > > Organizations must;
> > > > 1. Operate as legal businesses within the ARIN service region.
> > > > 2. Operate a network within the ARIN service region with Internet
> > > > number
> > > > resources allocated by or registered with ARIN.
> > > > 3. Meet other policy or eligibility criteria.
> > > > From a policy perspective, the first two are fundamental criteria
> that
> > > > must
> > > > be included in the definition of an organization.
> > > >
> > > > I suggest the following revision to the policy text;
> > > >
> > > > > 2.x Organization
> > > >
> > > > > An organization is a company, corporation, partnership, sole
> > > > > proprietorship,
> > > > > government agency, non-profit entity, educational institution, or
> > > > > natural
> > > > > person operating as a legal business within the ARIN service
> region. It
> > > > > must
> > > > > also operate a network within the ARIN service region with Internet
> > > > > number
> > > > > resources allocated by or registered with ARIN and meet other
> policy or
> > > > > eligibility criteria.
> > > >
> > > > I also want to point out the recent blog post by ARIN Staff about
> this
> > > > subject.
> > > > https://www.arin.net/blog/2025/05/28/individual-requests/
> > > >
> > > > Thanks.
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:33 PM ARIN <info at arin.net> wrote:
> > > > > On 15 May 2025, the ARIN Advisory Council (AC) accepted
> ARIN-prop-343:
> > > > > Resource Issuance to Natural Persons as Draft Policy.
> > > > >
> > > > > Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4 is below and can be found at:
> > > > >
> > > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/drafts/2025_4
> > > > >
> > > > > You are encouraged to discuss all Draft Policies on PPML. The AC
> will
> > > > > evaluate the discussion to assess the conformance of this draft
> policy
> > > > > with
> > > > > ARIN's Principles of Internet number resource policy as stated in
> the
> > > > > Policy
> > > > > Development Process (PDP). Specifically, these principles are:
> > > > >
> > > > > * Enabling Fair and Impartial Number Resource Administration
> > > > > * Technically Sound
> > > > > * Supported by the Community
> > > > >
> > > > > The PDP can be found at:
> > > > >
> > > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/pdp/
> > > > >
> > > > > Draft Policies and Proposals under discussion can be found at:
> > > > >
> > > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/drafts/
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > >
> > > > > Eddie Diego
> > > > > Policy Analyst
> > > > > American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4: Resource Issuance to Natural Persons
> > > > >
> > > > > Problem Statement:
> > > > >
> > > > > ARIN policies currently restrict the issuance of number resources
> to
> > > > > organizations. This limits access for individuals who are running
> > > > > networks
> > > > > under their own legal name, especially in regions where forming or
> > > > > registering a business is not required or feasible. Other RIRs
> such as
> > > > > RIPE
> > > > > NCC allow individuals to receive resources directly. ARIN should
> > > > > consider
> > > > > similar flexibility to ensure equal and consistent access to
> Internet
> > > > > number
> > > > > resources for all operators, regardless of legal structure.
> > > > >
> > > > > Policy Statement:
> > > > >
> > > > > This proposal introduces explicit policy text into the NRPM to
> allow
> > > > > number
> > > > > resource issuance to natural persons (individuals) who provide
> valid
> > > > > justification and identity verification.
> > > > >
> > > > > Amend NRPM Section 2 to add the following definition:
> > > > >
> > > > > 2.18 Organization
> > > > >
> > > > > An organization is a company, corporation, partnership, sole
> > > > > proprietorship,
> > > > > government agency, non-profit entity, educational institution, or a
> > > > > natural
> > > > > person acting in a capacity consistent with operating a network
> and who
> > > > > meets ARIN’s resource eligibility criteria.
> > > > >
> > > > > Comments:
> > > > >
> > > > > Sections 4.2, 5.1, and 6.5 shall be interpreted to allow
> “organizations”
> > > > > as
> > > > > newly defined in Section 2.12, thereby including individuals where
> > > > > appropriate.
> > > > >
> > > > > Staff may develop identity verification and residency requirements
> > > > > appropriate to individuals (e.g., government-issued photo ID and
> proof
> > > > > of
> > > > > address).
> > > > >
> > > > > All resource justification, utilization, and RSA signing
> requirements
> > > > > remain
> > > > > unchanged.
> > > > >
> > > > > There has been extensive discussion of this topic on the ARIN
> Public
> > > > > Policy
> > > > > Mailing List (PPML) in April 2025. Participants have cited
> > > > > inconsistencies
> > > > > and barriers created by reliance on state-level business
> registries, and
> > > > > called for more inclusive eligibility mechanisms similar to other
> RIR
> > > > > regions. The proposal addresses these concerns while maintaining
> > > > > accountability and justification requirements.
> > > > >
> > > > > Timetable for implementation:
> > > > >
> > > > > Recommend implementation within 3–6 months of ratification to
> allow ARIN
> > > > > staff and legal counsel to develop supporting processes.
> > > > >
> > > > > Anything else:
> > > > >
> > > > > This proposal does not reduce the level of justification required
> to
> > > > > obtain
> > > > > resources, but merely expands eligibility to natural persons who
> operate
> > > > > networks and meet all existing technical and usage criteria.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > ARIN-PPML
> > > > > You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to
> > > > > the ARIN Public Policy Mailing List (ARIN-PPML at arin.net).
> > > > > Unsubscribe or manage your mailing list subscription at:
> > > > > https://lists.arin.net/mailman/listinfo/arin-ppml
> > > > > Please contact info at arin.net if you experience any issues.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > ===============================================
> > > > David Farmer Email:farmer at umn.edu
> > > > Networking & Telecommunication Services
> > > > Office of Information Technology
> > > > University of Minnesota
> > > > 2218 University Ave SE Phone: 612-626-0815
> > > > Minneapolis, MN 55414-3029 Cell: 612-812-9952
> > > > ===============================================
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > ARIN-PPML
> > > > You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to
> > > > the ARIN Public Policy Mailing List (ARIN-PPML at arin.net).
> > > > Unsubscribe or manage your mailing list subscription at:
> > > > https://lists.arin.net/mailman/listinfo/arin-ppml
> > > > Please contact info at arin.net if you experience any issues.
> >
> >
> > --
> > ===============================================
> > David Farmer Email:farmer at umn.edu
> > Networking & Telecommunication Services
> > Office of Information Technology
> > University of Minnesota
> > 2218 University Ave SE Phone: 612-626-0815
> > Minneapolis, MN 55414-3029 Cell: 612-812-9952
> > ===============================================
>
--
===============================================
David Farmer Email:farmer at umn.edu
Networking & Telecommunication Services
Office of Information Technology
University of Minnesota
2218 University Ave SE Phone: 612-626-0815
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3029 Cell: 612-812-9952
===============================================
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.arin.net/pipermail/arin-ppml/attachments/20250530/7f57e292/attachment-0001.htm>
More information about the ARIN-PPML
mailing list