Evan, On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:07:27 -0400, Evan Leibovitch <evan@telly.org> wrote:
Well, of course, especially when the "privacy" is desired because you're trying to con and steal and WHOIS.
Sorry, but refusing to be identified -- when using a facility primarily used to _provide_ identity -- seems absurd.
Registrars can perhaps offer proxy/escrow services, then, as part of their arsenal of tools to sell registrants for that kind of thing. You can get an unlisted phone number, but you pay for that and the phone company still maintains correct records on who owns a certain line.
Depends on the country. Over here (in Belgium, but also in other European countries), being unlisted is the default, unless you specifically _require_ your number to be added to the public directory. There is no cost to get unlisted. The underlying logic is that privacy is a fundamental human right, and these are not for sale. I would not agree to pay for freedom of expression, either. Obviously, the phone company will provide the subscriber's details to a law enforcement authority showing proper and written credentials.
The right to privacy is not an absolute one -- it has numerous limits and is often subservient to many other human rights (such as the legal right to confront one's accuser).
Fully agree. The normal process against libel, defamation, trademark infringments, etc in most countries is to file a complaint with the law enforcement agencies and wait for them to obtain the information. Patrick