AfriNIC turns to ID verification

The Africa Network Information Centre (AfriNIC) which is Africa’s regional internet registry has begun verifying the identity of members in its various mailing lists. The action has been taken in response to a rising number of listers who are unknown to the community. This has been a matter of concern over the past year when AfriNIC has been involved in litigation, and claims from unverifiable emails have been made on the lists. Some listers, however, protested the move, arguing that requiring them to submit their personal data was an invasion of their privacy. Some have suggested that, instead, identity verification should be applied on a case by case basis. AfriNIC has assured listers that the identity verification is being handled with utmost consideration of data protection and that personal documents will not be kept for longer than required.