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Congressional Comittee Mulls WHOIS Data Integrity

Posted by timothy on from the whatever-it-is-let's-pass-a-law dept.

Alien54 writes: "The US Congress Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property is holding a hearing today on "The Accuracy and Integrity of the WHOIS DATABASE." This is specifically on HR 4640, "To provide criminal penalties for providing false information in registering a domain name on the Internet." - - You can hear live audio of the hearing here on the weekly schedule page (NB windows media). Strangely, this had passed throught hands of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security which is involved in a number of things on interest to Slashdot readers." (Visit Thomas and type in "HR 4640" in the query box to read more on this bill.)

1 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I refuse. by fmaxwell · · Score: 4, Informative

    Had you, or the editors of Slashdot, actually taken the time to read the bill you would have discovered that it only prohibits falsification of the information with the intent to defraud. The following is the entire text of the bill:

    A BILL

    To provide criminal penalties for providing false information in registering a domain name on the Internet.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

    SECTION 1. CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR FALSE INFORMATION IN REGISTRATION OF DOMAIN NAMES.

    (a) IN GENERAL- Chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

    `Sec. 1037. Fraudulent information in registering domain name

    `(a) OFFENSE- Whoever knowingly and with intent to defraud provides material and misleading false contact information to a domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain name registration authority in registering a domain name shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

    `(b) DEFINITIONS- In this section--

    `(1) the term `domain name' means any alphanumeric designation which is registered with or assigned by a domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain name registration authority as part of an electronic address on the Internet; and

    `(2) the term `Internet' has the meaning given that term in section 230(f)(1) of the Communications Act of 1034 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(1)).'.

    (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- The table of sections for chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

    `1037. Fraudulent information in registering domain name.'.

    Next time you hear about a bill in Congress, read the bill before you get your panties in a twist.