Nominet, which has recently introduced changes to its WHOIS
database, will from 1st October 2002 publish the names and contact
details of all registrants classified as “businesses”, without
offering them the choice to opt-out of the directory, a right which
is only given to individuals.
FT.com and TheRegister.co.uk report that, while Thus
acknowledges that this move is in line with other top level domain
registries worldwide and also with UK and EU legislation, Nominet’s
definition of “business” is too wide.
The concern seems to be that “most of its 22,000 customers”
would fall into the definition simply because, according to FT.com,
“they had not registered as individuals.”
Thus said that it has contacted the Information Commissioner to
clarify the issue and is considering whether to lodge a formal
complaint.
