In message <[email protected]>, Edward Shryane <[email protected]> wrote:
>We implemented and deployed the changes below for GDPR compliance as >part of Whois 1.95.1, on the 18th September: > >https://www.ripe.net/manage-ips-and-asns/db/release-notes/ripe-database-release-1.95 Could you please provide some additional and detailed clarity on exactly what will and what won't henceforth be hidden? Neither the page you referenced nor the RIPE 76 presentation slides perovide any real clarity about what has changed, exactly, much less how, or whether the needs of legitimate historical research were taken into account when deciding on the implementation specifics. There is obviously a great desire, in some quarters, at least, to hide everyhing as much as possible. This applies to both governments and to quasi-governmental organizations such as the five RIRs. To the extent that this is motivated by legitimate privacy concerns, as promoted by GDPR, this is reasonable and desirable. To the extent that this is motivated by a desire to mask malfeasance it is not. The devil is in the details. Is access to historical person and role informtaion being totally wiped out entirely, or are the fine details that some would consider private and personal information merely being elided? The latter is justifiable, under GDPR, and based upon a reasoanble concern for the privacy of the individual. The wholesale "disappearing" of history is however not justifiable. If the name of a person, the final four digits of the person's phone number and the <<userID>> part of a person's exact email address are elided, then this is both eminently reasonable and arguably required under GDPR. Anything beyond that becomes reminicent of Winston Smith, cutting and pasting old newspaper stories in order to adjust history in accordance with the preferences of The Party. Regards, rfg
