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Privacy advocates, public interest groups and even some celebrities are raising alarms about a proposal that could limit the ability of some website owners to disguise themselves.
The issue has caught fire over the past few months as an obscure organization that manages the Internet's domain name system was inundated with comments about a proposal that could bar commercial websites from using proxies to register their web addresses.
Advocates argue anonymity is a key feature of free speech online, and removing that protection from people who create a website for commercial purposes could open vulnerable populations up to abuse.
El Reg reports:
As it stands on the last day of the comment period – 7 July – there are over 11,000 responses and the issue may break the previous record when ICANN proposed giving the green light to internet extension '.xxx' which would be used exclusively for adult content websites (in that case there were 12,757 comments).
Get while the gettin's good, Anonymous Cowards!
[Editor's Note: The "obscure organization" being ICANN...]
Original Submission
(Score: 3, Disagree) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @05:45PM
Anonymous Domain registrations were always touted to protect the privacy of some victim group or another.
In reality, from their inception, they have been the home of scoundrels and scam artists, spammers, bootlegs, and criminal enterprises.
I've encountered these quite often while chasing spam sources, but never when tracking a legitimate business, or organization.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Nerdfest on Sunday July 12 2015, @05:55PM
Still, perhaps this is another privacy related matter where we may not need it at the moment, but perhaps will in the future. Sometimes it's important to stand up for the idea even if it's frequently abused.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:29PM
I believe TFS mentioned commercial sites.
The issue has caught fire over the past few months as an obscure organization that manages the Internet's domain name system was inundated with comments about a proposal that could bar commercial websites from using proxies to register their web addresses.
Not sure this even applies to your local unpopular group of the day sort of sites.
Once you are taking in money over the web, it seems to me you've crosses some sort of line where expectations of total privacy become sort of moot. (Silk Road to the contrary).
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Gravis on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:41PM
Sometimes it's important to stand up for the idea even if it's frequently abused.
that is patently absurd! should the IRS switch to the honor system too?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:24PM
Given the massive budget cuts over there, that is basically what they have become.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 13 2015, @04:10AM
So you're in favor of banning things for everyone merely because they could be/are abused? Do you value freedom at all?
(Score: 2, Disagree) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:10PM
Oh, and another thing....
I'm willing to concede there may be some issue that might require protection from the racist angry mob types out there.
Maybe Governments would offer a protected registration for such, or maybe churches.
However, those set up to oppose governments: the wise thing would be to register in a different country, because anonymous registrations would be penetrated anyway by government. So, championing anonymous registration for anti government groups is sort of silly.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Sunday July 12 2015, @11:56PM
Really, that's a separate problem as well.
Also, heh heh, you said "penetrated by government".
(Score: 2) by n1 on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:01PM
That is the most common case with anonymous domains, I completely agree. However there are some blogs and alternative news sources attempting to provide a public service can benefit from a degree of anonymity if they are reporting on politically sensitive matters.
A commercial entity however can use a PO Box or any number of other things to obfuscate the true owner of a domain, and indeed the geographical location in which the controlling interests reside.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:21PM
just hire a lawyer, to hire a lawyer, to hire a lawyer, ... each in turn in another country, so getting subpoenas to find the person at the top, will require multiple lawyers in turn plus multi-legal systems. So, yes, commercial entities can have full anonymity.
Now on the other hand, ICANN should step up and required through ICANN email system, contacts for issues with working with sites, so admin and tech are not just junk email addresses, phones and such. You would email ICANN at say, "tech.amazon.com@icann.org", ICANN will insure that contact is made with a HUMAN tech at Amazon and that HUMAN will be in full two way voice contact with you, say 4hrs. Only other website tech and admin (known by ICANN) can use the system, so spamming of these contacts is nil, becuase ICANN takes you domain way for failing to play nice.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:23PM
Even a lawyer, or a friend in another disinterested country serving as the mailing address or contact gets around a lot of political issues. (Maybe not in some countries, but then countries that aggressive probably already know who you are.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:08PM
I'll agree that in some cases the owner of a domain might themselves be considered a target, even if it does not follow that the registrant of "someissue.com" is necessarily a victim of that issue, in which case they absolutely won't want their contact details in WHOIS (pro-choice sites, for instance). But seriously, how many of those sites are operated as a commercial venture, and of those how many are little more than an attempt by some cynical individual/group to make money of a hot topic? If making money and anonymity is more important to the owner than the issue itself, then perhaps that isn't the best site for someone to be discussing a given issue on in the first place, or the issue isn't one that deserves a public forum in the first place.
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Justin Case on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:37PM
> the number of people likely to be legitimately impacted by this (victim group members, etc.) is a *lot* lower than is being made out. Firstly, the proposal only applies to commercial websites
I'm one of those people you discount. I have a dot-com DNS name* so that's "commercial" right? I use it for communication that might step on someone's pet prejudice, so I'd rather a whole world full of strangers and radical asshats not be able to track me down, at least not easily.
If you're about to purchase something from a web site and you feel you need contact information to provide confidence in the transaction, just check to see that they have valid contact information. Maybe a phone number that is answered by a human. Whatever you think is the minimum required. They don't meet your criteria... don't send them money. Easy. No need for one-worldwide-rule-for-all.
First they came for the commercial DNS names, and I was silent because I did not have a commercial DNS name...
* (which is not the same thing as a web site)
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @11:26PM
I get junk mail for Comcast Business to my mail box all the time. When I moved and updated the registration information on my domain, the letters started coming there. Comcast DOES NOT give you any information to opt-out of these mailings. I know for a fact that these mailings are tied to my domain, because the address I used to register was a P.O. Box, and was not used for any other purpose. If ICANN lets this through, your mailboxes will be stuffed full of unsolicited offers.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:18PM
If I register a domain name, I don't want my name and address to be known. I have gotten spam snail mail that way.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:35PM
Spam snail mail costs you exactly nothing. Just sayin...
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 5, Touché) by Justin Case on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:40PM
> Spam snail mail costs you exactly nothing.
Good. Please post your physical mailing address, then check back in a month and let me know how much you enjoyed the seconds I shaved off your life by making you sort and toss a ton of junk mail.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by frojack on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:15PM
yeah, nice try son.
But I'm not attempting to operate a commercial enterprise on the net while hiding behind an anonymous registration.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:37PM
WTF? I want to register a domain and I don't want my name and address associated with domains I register.
Oooooh it could be used by commercial enterprises or spammers! Tough shit.
(Score: 1) by TheMessageNotTheMessenger on Sunday July 12 2015, @08:49PM
You have something to hide! What's next? You one a dem terrist or something?
Hello! :D
(Score: 2) by Justin Case on Monday July 13 2015, @01:59AM
Neither am I.
Son.
(Score: 2) by Marand on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:41PM
That was my first thought as well. I've had non-anonymous domains before and the address I gave (a PO box) frequently got junk mail and scam attempts addressed to the name of the domain reg. This was years ago and I imagine it's only gotten worse since then. Probably one of the best reasons to register via proxy to hide your info.
At least you can still use post office boxes as an alternative if this outcry causes change. Until the next round of whining leads to requiring a home address and DNA samples, that is.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 12 2015, @06:20PM
Not to mention piracy sites.
(Score: 2) by Refugee from beyond on Sunday July 12 2015, @07:49PM
Do they have boarding lessions there?
Instantly better soylentnews: replace background on article and comment titles with #973131.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 13 2015, @04:06AM
Some people abuse it, so get rid of it. Brilliant! Let's get rid of TOR and all forms of privacy, as well.