[rpd] RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 133

Tue Jul 21 13:12:30 UTC 2026

Hi Mark,

Similar timing and similar views do not establish misconduct. The co-chairs
can assess the contributions on their merits.

I will not engage further with speculation about participants.

Regards,
Nonhlanhla

On Tue, 21 Jul 2026, 2:58 pm <rpd-request at afrinic.net> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Re: Writing tools (Mark Elkins)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:57:26 +0200
> From: Mark Elkins <mark at posix.co.za>
> To: rpd at afrinic.net
> Subject: Re: [rpd] Writing tools
> Message-ID: <714681da-4556-4366-9629-0e07de63871e at posix.co.za>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
>
> +1
>
> They all joined the mailing list around the same time +/- a week.
>
> They all seem to have the same agenda
>
> Hmm...
>
>
> On 2026/07/21 14:28, Andrew Alston wrote:
> > Personally it is not the use of AI that I find objectionable - it is
> > clear coordination to attempt to derail consensus using an objection
> > which is not based on fact or evidence.
> >
> > Necessity is not a requirement for policy - never has been - and
> > objections should raise issues that show the policy would do harm or
> > is out of scope, they should be evidence based, and not purely
> subjective.
> >
> > At this point what I am seeing is a bunch of coordinated posts
> > generated by AI and sent by random individuals who when looking at
> > LinkedIn profiles seem to have no relation to the industry.
> >
> > While anyone is free to participate in the PDP and I strongly support
> > that, such participation needs to be done in good faith, and I am
> > starting to seriously doubt that element exists here
> >
> > Andrew
> >
> > On Tue, Jul 21, 2026 at 14:08, Gugu Dhlamini
> > <gugudhlamini343 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >     Hi Sami,
> >
> >     The concern is not reasonable moderation. It is that AI use is
> >     being raised mainly against participants who oppose these
> >     policies, as though the tool makes their objections illegitimate.
> >
> >     If anyone floods the list, moderate the flooding. Apply that rule
> >     equally, regardless of viewpoint or drafting method. A real
> >     participant using AI to translate, edit, or organise their own
> >     position is not grounds for exclusion.
> >
> >     An open PDP cannot embrace technology for registry operations
> >     while condemning it when unfamiliar participants use it to speak.
> >     That would be gatekeeping, not consensus.
> >
> >     Regards,
> >     Gugu
> >
> >
> >
> >     On Tue, 21 Jul 2026, 10:48 am Sami Ait Ali Oulahcen via RPD
> >     <rpd at afrinic.net> wrote:
> >
> >         Hi all,
> >
> >         It's been really difficult to follow the list this past 2/3
> >         days. And I imagine I'm not alone.
> >         I fully agree on moderating the AI madness. Otherwise, it'll
> >         dissuade many folks from following/participating.
> >
> >         Regards,
> >         Sami
> >
> >         ----- Original Message -----
> >         From: "Mike Silber" <silber.mike at gmail.com>
> >         To: "rpd >> AfriNIC Resource Policy" <rpd at afrinic.net>
> >         Sent: Monday, July 20, 2026 4:40:55 PM
> >         Subject: Re: [rpd] Writing tools
> >
> >         A useful discussion - thank you
> >
> >         On Mon, Jul 20, 2026 at 5:17?PM Mike Burns via RPD
> >         <rpd at afrinic.net> wrote:
> >
> >         > Hi Rob,
> >         >
> >         > Yes, the language is a clear tell of AI? usage, but flowery
> >         language alone
> >         > is not swamping the list.
> >
> >         I don't want to hijack the AS-SET discussion, so thank you for
> >         the new
> >         > subject line.
> >         >
> >
> >         Agreed
> >
> >         >
> >         > Now, sometimes? and unfortunately, I can use vague and
> >         flowery language
> >         > myself, so I would advise you to treat the AI stuff like the
> >         human stuff.
> >         > Ignore it if it's too vague or flowery to serve as a good
> >         argument, and
> >         > you have clearly laid out the two arguments in your last two
> >         lines.
> >         > Hopefully the list will show judgement and treat clear and
> >         concise
> >         > arguments better than vague ones.
> >         > And then the AI posts, if they want to be successful, will
> >         avoid the
> >         > purple prose.
> >         >
> >
> >         I think it goes beyond flowery language.
> >
> >         I am concerned that this is a precedent for AI generated DDoS
> >         attacks on
> >         the PDP and I do think we should have some light touch
> >         guidelines. I
> >         suspect that one of the reasons for the AI-slop flood is not
> >         just to try
> >         convince anyone of the value or legitimacy of their views but
> >         rather to
> >         overwhelm and frustrate other participants and cause them to
> >         withdraw from
> >         participation.
> >
> >         Accordingly, I suggest we don't simply leave this to the
> >         co-chairs to
> >         determine on a case by case basis, but rather set some
> >         guidelines under
> >         which measures can be taken to avoid AI DDoS.
> >
> >         Anyway - just my ZAR0,02 which is not worth much
> >
> >         Regards
> >
> >         Mike S
> >
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> --
>
> Mark James ELKINS? -? Posix Systems - (South) Africa
> mje at posix.co.za?????? Tel: +27.826010496 <tel:+27826010496>
> For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA: https://ftth.posix.co.za
>
> Posix SystemsVCARD for MJ Elkins
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