[diversity] [db-wg] Preferred names in the database

Hello Harri,

Thanks for raising this. I am not too familiar with all the arguments 
for enforcing a matching public legal name, and the impact of a masking 
option. I think this also refers to a specific set of fields, 
particularly the org-name on an organisation holding resources?

It sounds at least like the NCC needs to improve process for individual 
name changes. It is insensitive to deny a person the use of their own 
name, and sounds like a possible violation of the GDPR right to 
rectification. I did at some point change legal name, at a time when I 
had no RIPE resources, and found some success in referring to that 
article when organisations were difficult.

Sasha


On 3 Dec 2023, at 12:49, Harry Cross via db-wg wrote:

> Dear all (copying this to both the Diversity list and the Database 
> list),
> I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and recovering from Rome.
>
> I’d like to begin thinking about a proposal for preferred names in 
> the database/on resources. Some may have noticed this week (and for a 
> bit prior), I have begun going by Harri instead of Harry. At the 
> moment there is no correct way for me to represent this in the 
> database, as an LIR the details have to match my legal name. I may 
> think about going through the legal processes to change this soon 
> (albeit in the UK this is easier than a lot of places).
>
> I know a few people hold their resources under a shell company for 
> this purpose, (e.g I could incorporate Harri Cross Limited to hold the 
> resources and be in the database). This applies to end users who hold 
> PI or ASNs alongside LIRs.
>
> It would be good for us to think about a way for these preferred names 
> (and pronouns?) to be shown in the database alongside the process for 
> changing the name of an end user. I know the preferred way a lot of 
> people in this situation would like this to be handled is to totally 
> mask the legal name in the database. The NCC could still validate 
> legal names to know who they are working with - and we will need some 
> compromise here I suspect. A complete lack of verification is of 
> course a bad thing.
>
> I have experienced talking to the NCC when handling end users in these 
> situations who have legally name changed and the process seems to be 
> incredibly hard with the lack of understanding on documentation for 
> name changes.
>
> Responses from the Registry have included “How can we be sure that 
> <oldName> and <newName> are not identical twins?” (Which in my mind, 
> is rather disrespectful). I also have another name change in process 
> that is being stonewalled by a lack of understanding of documents in 
> different jurisdictions for this.
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> Harri
>
> Sent from Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>

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