While the names of "public" list subscribers are, in some sense, public
information, I believe that using this information to generate "whict pages"
would be regarded by many as a serious infringrement of their rights, and
might have the effect of encouraging subscribers to hide their subscriptions,
precisely the opposite effect from the intent of the action.
                                                            Jim
 
 
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have a question which concerns the ethics of access to Listserv
>subscription lists (and for that matter, any other subscription lists).
>
>It would be technically trivial to query subscription lists of listservers
>around the world, pull results into a central file of names, userids, and
>addresses, and maintain the list as part of a white pages supplement to
>existing white pages (such as nic.ddn.mil, sh.cs.net, etc.) which could be
>searched from remote sites via the "whois" command or something
>equivalent.
>
>Has this been done, or is anyone planning this?
>
>From the white pages perspective, such a service could be "A Good Thing",
>since existing white pages services are currently dominated by
>administrative, military, and government users, as opposed to the average
>Jane and John Doe's of the network world.  Of course, this would be rendered
>obsolete once more sites get local official directories up and running and
>attached to whatever Internet wide white pages services become prevalent.
>
>An equivalent database and query service has already been set up for
>*posted* Usenet articles received at MIT.  But listserv subscription lists
>contain the names of many people who never post, and may never intend to.
>
>The acknowledgement received upon subscription to a Listserv group does
>indicate that it is possible to hide one's name from prying eyes; but most
>folks don't anticipate having their subscription information dragged into
>a world-accessible white pages service.  Although I suspect most people
>wouldn't mind, it's those individuals who *would* mind that I am concerned
>about.
>
>yet another case of potential conflict between free access to information
>and individual rights...
>
>Jonathan Kochmer                    University Computing Services
>[log in to unmask]    University of Washington