VeriSign: More Surprises May Come!

(Forwarded from Interesting People list)

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [IP] VeriSign says more unannounced surprisesmay be forthcoming!
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 07:27:08 -0400
From: Dave Farber <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]


>Delivered-To: [email protected]
>Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2003 21:49:11 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Lauren Weinstein <[email protected]>
>Subject: VeriSign says more unannounced surprises may be forthcoming!
>To: [email protected]
>
>
>
>Dave,
>
>While the circus was proceeding out here in California -- proving that
>many Californians really *do* love boarish clowns -- ICANN held its public
>meeting regarding VeriSign's Site Finder.  As reported in a CNET
>article at:
>
>http://news.com.com/2100-1038-5088128.html
>
>VeriSign suggested that they didn't give warning to the network community
>about Site Finder for "competitive" reasons, that they may turn
>it back on again at any time, and they won't guarantee that more "surprise"
>changes of this sort won't be coming from them in the future.  They also
>reportedly did their best to limit the agenda to a narrow focus, and
>expressed concern that they hadn't seen the presentation from XO
>Communications in advance.  Yeah, maybe that gives them some clue as to how
>the rest of us felt about Site Finder's surprise debut.
>
>The solution to this situation is becoming very clear.  The critical
>registry and DNS functions that VeriSign appears incapable of not abusing
>must be removed from their stewardship.  These operations should be moved to
>one or more appropriately funded non-profits, who presumably won't allow
>competitive pressures and concerns over their own "proprietary information"
>to cloud their thinking and actions on these matters.
>
>This isn't the first time VeriSign has gone over the line.  It's time to
>stop theoretical discussions and start working toward the goal of
>moving beyond VeriSign as soon as possible.
>
>--Lauren--
>Lauren Weinstein
>[email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]
>Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
>http://www.pfir.org/lauren
>Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
>Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
>Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
>                      Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
>Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
>Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy

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