Re:law on Databases (Score 1)

nope, AFAIK databases itself gain a special protection in the EU, (I know the Datenschutzgesetz - e.g. it says that databases must not be exported to a country that has LESS protection for privacy than Germany). Well, all I know is what I read in the German c'T magazine about the specific phone book stuff, but I think that whoever created the 'database' (speaking of InterNIC) is holding the copyright. I'd guess it is quite complex law stuff right here, but I don't want to see a company selling my phone number & address (I owe a domain ;-), so personally I don't mind InterNIC claiming copyright on the data - but I doubt they can sue me for using my personal data ;-)))

Okay, InterNIC didn't create the database by its own, the German database is created by DE-NIC located in Karlsruhe, but I think that they can legally say that you can't distribute, copy or whatever, the database.

Hmm, I should read some articles about this stuff more carefully ;-)

Uh, don't mix US laws on privacy with European laws on privacy - EU laws are quite strict about this topic, like the one mentioned above - so it is not legal to export user information to the US - theoretically :(