I was on the data element review panel of today's WHOIS Workshop. Unfortunately, that panel was chartered to look at things from a data user point of view only, without space for the data subject perspective.
The brief summary is that the usual statements were made.
The slightly longer summary: Bruce Tonkin reported about the current data element situation. Jane Mutimear gave the IP perspective, recycling some slides from the Montreal workshop. Marilyn Cade told a story about an abuse case. David Maher noted that registries don't need personal WHOIS information. I complained a bit about the lack of registrant perspective, pointed to the ALAC's new WHOIS statement, and noted that individual Internet users really don't have essential WHOIS uses, and that existing uses can easily be covered by some kind of person directory where information is entered voluntarily. Tom Keller noted that registrar mostly need WHOIS for transfers. Brian Cute confirmed that, and gave some customer quotes on WHOIS privacy.
The NCUC's Kathy Kleiman made the case for registrant privacy, and suggested that a technical contact should essentially be the only thing published in the WHOIS; this technical contact could then be someone at an ISP, not the individual itself.
