The Whois database is in fact the best, most well-recognized tool that we have to be able to track down who in fact you are doing business with
Nonetheless, some privacy advocates are proposing scrapping the system entirely because they can't agree with the people who use the system on how to give domain name owners more options when they register ~ individuals shouldn't have to reveal personal information simply to have a Web site.
Hmmm, should be interesting.
Onya
Woz
Simply show who the registrar is and let the registrar handle any legal ramifications of selling or marketing domain names to begin with.
Competition will still keep prices fair, registrars will have to shape up or ship out if they can't handle the legal precedence of actually being liable for a product they sell and it will keep people from spamming me because i may have a few domains on the internet.
The whole discussion of "how would i contact.." is moot since its well known that most of the info in whois is BS. I *NEVER* check my email addresses associated with my domains - i have an automated mail setup to send a reply that the mail box is not monitored and i trend out emails to notify the RBLs of abusers and whatnot.
A man obtained her street address from WHOIS and came to her home to see her. She looked out her window and saw him talking with her young daughter in the yard. He became what is known as a "stalker" and she went through an extended effort to get him stopped.
She changed the WHOIS address to a PO Box, had her telephone number unlisted, requested removal from various reverse look-up services, etc.
There are a lot of individual situations to consider when it comes to desires for privacy vs. public information.
FarmBoy
Consumers in a consumer society should have rights.
There are "rights" and there are responsibilities.
If I purchase something on eBay, for example, I consider it my responsibility to read & know the transaction details before placing my bid. If I just throw up a bid expecting the item to be delivered in 4 days and the description indicates the item couldn't be shipped for 2 weeks, I look at that as my not exercising my own responsibility. I don't expect eBay to make it all better.
Likewise, before I purchase something from a website, I consider it my responsibility to see that there is contact information available should I have a problem with the purchase or that the site is using a payment processor that will allow me to contest charges. I consider it my responsibility to do that before I make the purchase.
I do of course realize that by focusing on my personal responsibility much more than on my rights, I am probably in the minority these days.
FarmBoy
