[RDS-WHOIS2-RT-Leadership_Staff] DRAFT: Privacy issue

[Alan Greenberg]

In preparation for our call later today, I would like to share a 
message I am considering sending and would appreciate your feedback 
on the call.

I am really concerned that the RT can end up focusing too much effort 
on privacy, to the detriment of our other work.

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To: RDS-WHOIS-RT

At our meeting two weeks ago, we discussed privacy and the place it 
holds in our review process. I have thought about it a lot since 
then, and would like to summarize my feelings.

It is crystal clear in my mind that:

- the current WHOIS implementation ignores privacy issues, and this 
has been a known issue for a long time;
- for whatever reasons, ICANN has chosen to largely ignore the issue, 
even though it has become of increasing importance to many parties;
- the GDPR deadline has raised the importance and priority of the issue;
- ICANN is working on GDPR, and while opinions differ on whether 
their plans are reasonable or appropriate, the deadline of 25 May 
2018 will almost surely have passed bby the time we deliver our final report;
- as important as GDPR (and its penalties for non-compliance) are it 
is not the only privacy issue that ICANN is facing or will face and 
we need to address the generic issue in any recommendations we make; 
and finally
- our recommendations need to be high level and not attempt to 
provide detailed policy or implementation which is the domain of the 
GNSO PDP and its follow-on activities.

I welcome thoughts on this.

Alan