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.