[X-Post][Reddit][Off-topic] Original title: "[Off Topic] Internet anonymity for domain owners is threatened by new ICANN rules" I don't know when bot will x-post it and if it will at all (post is 17 hours old), but I deemed it too important to skip: Link to the thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/3b89o2/off_topic_internet_anonymity_for_domain_owners_is/ Archive of the thread: https://archive.is/c3moN The original text by the user reddit.com/user/clyde_ghost: I received an email today from a domain registrar. I know it's not strictly a GG or even a Chan/Reddit issue but one of the issues we have had is people attempting to prevent sites like Voat, 8 Chan from existing by co-opting their domains or interfering with their hosts. Forcing registrants details to be displayed can easily lead to people targeting domain owners, especially those who have fringe political beliefs. At the moment, that's you and me. Hopefully the below email will give people enough information to understand what's happening and pass it on to anyone who they think this will be important to. Did you know that your privacy rights are currently under threat? ICANN is considering introducing a rule that would impact all netizens. If you care about your online privacy, this is a big deal. Under new guidelines proposed by MarkMonitor and other organizations who represent the same industries that backed SOPA, domain holders with sites associated to "commercial activity" will no longer be able to protect their private information with WHOIS protection services. "Commercial activity" casts a wide net, which means a vast number of domain holders will be affected. Your privacy provider could be forced to publish your contact data in WHOIS or give it out to anyone who complains about your website, without due process. Why should a small business owner have to publicize her home address just to have a website? We think your privacy should be protected, regardless of whether your website is personal or commercial, and your confidential info should not be revealed without due process. If you agree, please contact ICANN right away and demand your right to privacy and due process. Let them know you object to any release of info without a court order. There's no time to waste -- the close date for comments is July 7, 2015. Visit our new site RespectOurPrivacy.com and we'll guide you through the process of calling or emailing ICANN. Thanks! Thanks all, Clyde From the thread: Article from EFF on this: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/06/changes-domain-name-rules-place-user-privacy-jeopardy , archive. Articles on this (archives): Slate, NetworkWorld, ArsTechnica. Contact information: From EFF's article: If you agree, there are many ways in which you can let ICANN know your views. Between now and July 7th, you can send your comments by email to comments-ppsai-initial-05may15@icann.org. You can also support a petition that a coalition of companies and concerned individuals have established at savedomainprivacy.org, or use the phone and email tool of another coalition at respectourprivacy.com, both of which EFF supports. comments-ppsai-initial-05may15@icann.org https://www.savedomainprivacy.org https://www.respectourprivacy.com Also ICANN has a web-contact form: https://forms.icann.org/en/contact , I'll use e-mail. Bonus: to give you a start, here is the text that respectourprivacy.com proposes by default: Dear ICANN – Regarding the proposed rules governing companies that provide WHOIS privacy services (as set forth in the Privacy and Policy Services Accreditation Issues Policy document): I urge you to respect internet users' rights to privacy and due process.  Everyone deserves the right to privacy. No one’s personal information should be revealed without a court order, regardless of whether the request comes from a private individual or law enforcement agency.  Private information should be kept private. Thank you. EDIT: forgot that I can edit my post: By the way, if you sent them e-mail manually (I haven't seen that in the respectourprivacy.com vairant), they will (can?) ask you to confirm it: Thank you very much for commenting on a current ICANN issue. Before we are able to process your comment, we need you to confirm receipt of this message. This is for two reasons: While your email address will be partially obscured, the content of your email and any identifying information contained within it will be published in full on ICANN's website. If you are happy with this, you can confirm your comment by clicking the link below (or copying it into your browser): /link/ etc. Don't forget to check your inbox!