[cooperation-wg] reheated press releases and RIPA

On 24 Nov 2013, at 13:13, Gordon Lennox <gordon.lennox.13 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes, I know. It is very early to start any discussion. But an interesting article in the Telegraph.

Hmmm. If it's in the Torygraph and on the interwebs it must be true, mustn't it?

The article is interesting Gordon. But perhaps not in the way you thought.

IMO, the article is a good example of churnalism: a press release given a cursory makeover by a lazy reporter to turn it into "news". There's no reasonable attempt to report the detail or check the facts.

My understanding is that RIPA obligations (and the rest) apply to Communications Service Providers: essentially the main telcos and ISPs based in the UK. It's highly unlikely those requirements would be directly imposed on someone providing Internet access for an IETF or RIPE or ICANN meeting. So money launderers, pornographers, drug dealers and terrorists will still be able to attend and get connectivity just like the rest of us when they show up. :-) I'm sure the RIPE meeting team will be aware of what needs to be done about compliance, if anything, since much of that legislation was in place for RIPE49.