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