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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>“Strong arguments” so we must take action?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Ben Roberts - AfriNIC via RPD <rpd@afrinic.net> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 22, 2026 10:29 AM<br><b>To:</b> Zenalo Mguqulwa <mguqulwazenalo@gmail.com><br><b>Cc:</b> rpd@afrinic.net<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Zenalo and others,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Your bombardment of us with strong arguments against identity verification, coming from completely new mailboxes on the list, are doing a good job of convincing me that we MUST actually introduced mandatory identity verification. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Good job!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>On 22 Jul 2026, at 16:24, Zenalo Mguqulwa <<a href="mailto:mguqulwazenalo@gmail.com">mguqulwazenalo@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'></span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=gmail-isselectedend>Hi,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=gmail-isselectedend>I don't believe introducing identity verification is the right solution. The platform should remain open and accessible to anyone who wishes to participate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=gmail-isselectedend>What matters is the quality of the argument, not who makes it. If participants choose to share their background or affiliations, that's entirely their decision, but it should never become a requirement for taking part.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=gmail-isselectedend>The same applies to AI. Its use is only going to become more common, and that in itself isn't a problem. The focus should remain on whether contributions are constructive, evidence-based, and engage with the discussion.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Zen<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, 22 Jul 2026 at 16:12, <<a href="mailto:rpd-request@afrinic.net">rpd-request@afrinic.net</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><p class=MsoNormal>Send RPD mailing list submissions to<br> <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br><br>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br> <a href="mailto:rpd-request@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd-request@afrinic.net</a><br><br>You can reach the person managing the list at<br> <a href="mailto:rpd-owner@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd-owner@afrinic.net</a><br><br>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>than "Re: Contents of RPD digest..."<br><br><br>Today's Topics:<br><br> 1. Re: Policy supremacy (Jaco Kroon)<br> 2. Re: RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 158 (Fundiswa Nadia Maseko)<br><br><br>----------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Message: 1<br>Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:01:03 +0200<br>From: Jaco Kroon <<a href="mailto:jaco@uls.co.za" target="_blank">jaco@uls.co.za</a>><br>To: <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>Subject: Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy<br>Message-ID: <<a href="mailto:14936a5e-6d1e-4e4b-8957-b0e2018274aa@uls.co.za" target="_blank">14936a5e-6d1e-4e4b-8957-b0e2018274aa@uls.co.za</a>><br>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed<br><br>Hi,<br><br>Are we thus proposing that each and every person must positively <br>identify themselves prior to being subscribed to the RPD list, as well <br>as for all existing subscribers to be positively identified by date X or <br>be unsubscribed?? To what extend should this identification go - should <br>it include affiliation checking, eg, Jaco Kroon actually JK19-AFRINIC in <br>the whois db - from where you can track the networks I'm involved with?<br><br>I'd be in support of such a policy change/direction.<br><br>Regarding use of AI, I don't have a particular objection to the use of <br>LLMs (but having worked on the Comp-Sci side of things ... I would not <br>trust them without validating whatever they spit out - and recent <br>experience - not restricted to this ML - shows they spit out more <br>garbage than most community-driven support forums), as long as they're <br>used sensibly to help with formatting and/or interpretation of emails, <br>not to spew out noise for the sake of noise - as what it feels has been <br>done the last week or two.<br><br>Kind regards,<br>Jaco<br><br>n 2026/07/22 15:52, Diroi Karalis wrote:<br><br>> Dear Musa,<br>><br>> Tshepo and Gugu don't need prior recognition from established <br>> participants before their input counts. Joining recently, missing <br>> earlier meetings, or sharing similar views is not evidence of <br>> impersonation or bad faith. Anyone is entitled to join an open process <br>> at Last Call and raise objections before a proposal becomes policy.<br>> KYC would be a significant procedural and privacy change. It can't be <br>> applied selectively to objectors we don't recognize it would need a <br>> formal basis, a clear justification, proper safeguards, and equal <br>> application to every participant, not just the inconvenient ones.<br>> If you have evidence of misconduct, send it to the co-chairs. <br>> Otherwise, engage with Tshepo and Gugu's arguments on their merits. <br>> Familiarity isn't authority, and "the community" isn't a closed circle <br>> that gets to decide who's allowed in.<br>><br>> Regards,<br>> Diroi<br>><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> RPD mailing list<br>> <a href="mailto:RPD@afrinic.net" target="_blank">RPD@afrinic.net</a><br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br><br><br><br>------------------------------<br><br>Message: 2<br>Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:11:08 +0200<br>From: Fundiswa Nadia Maseko <<a href="mailto:fundiswanadia2@gmail.com" target="_blank">fundiswanadia2@gmail.com</a>><br>To: <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>Subject: Re: [rpd] RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 158<br>Message-ID:<br> <CABV0QcRrHfKFhTOrPUrO=<a href="mailto:rbjfBJEesLOjvV_f1OTFkeiLpGj0Q@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">rbjfBJEesLOjvV_f1OTFkeiLpGj0Q@mail.gmail.com</a>><br>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br><br>Hi everyone,<br><br>I understand the concerns being raised about AI and new participants<br>joining the discussion. However, I don't think we should discourage people<br>from participating simply because they are new or because they choose to<br>use AI as a writing aid.<br><br>AI can help people organize their thoughts, improve grammar, or communicate<br>more clearly, but it shouldn't replace independent thinking. What matters<br>most is whether the ideas being presented are relevant, technically sound,<br>and contribute meaningfully to the policy discussion.<br><br>The PDP has always been intended to be open and inclusive. New participants<br>should be encouraged to engage, provided they do so respectfully and in<br>good faith. If there are concerns about duplicate messages or coordinated<br>submissions, those can be addressed based on evidence rather than<br>assumptions about individuals.<br><br>I believe we should continue evaluating contributions on their merit and<br>keep the discussion focused on the policy itself.<br><br>Kind regards,<br><br>Fundiswa Nadia Maseko<br><br>On Wed, 22 Jul 2026, 15:53 , <<a href="mailto:rpd-request@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd-request@afrinic.net</a>> wrote:<br><br>> Send RPD mailing list submissions to<br>> <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>><br>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br>> <a href="mailto:rpd-request@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd-request@afrinic.net</a><br>><br>> You can reach the person managing the list at<br>> <a href="mailto:rpd-owner@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd-owner@afrinic.net</a><br>><br>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>> than "Re: Contents of RPD digest..."<br>><br>><br>> Today's Topics:<br>><br>> 1. Re: Policy supremacy (Nonjabulo Sphilile)<br>> 2. Re: The usage of AI in platforms (JP)<br>> 3. Re: Policy supremacy (Diroi Karalis)<br>><br>><br>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>><br>> Message: 1<br>> Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:45:19 +0200<br>> From: Nonjabulo Sphilile <<a href="mailto:nonjabulosphilile@gmail.com" target="_blank">nonjabulosphilile@gmail.com</a>><br>> To: <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>> Subject: Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy<br>> Message-ID:<br>> <CAJwHbZOpK+zh=<br>> <a href="mailto:aWw6YqZVRZ51DVEdpsQ3xfRar0XmgPedHLruA@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">aWw6YqZVRZ51DVEdpsQ3xfRar0XmgPedHLruA@mail.gmail.com</a>><br>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br>><br>> Hi Musa,<br>><br>> The PDWG is open. Participation does not depend on being known to<br>> long-standing members, attending earlier meetings, or proving a<br>> professional stake after joining. New participation is still participation.<br>><br>> KYC would be a serious procedural change, not an informal test for<br>> unfamiliar objectors. Any such requirement would need to be formally<br>> adopted, proportionate, privacy-preserving, and applied equally to<br>> established and new participants.<br>><br>> Similar views are not proof of impersonation. If there is concrete evidence<br>> of misconduct, please submit it to the co-chairs. Otherwise, I will not<br>> continue discussing identities or drafting methods.<br>><br>> Let us return to the policy.<br>><br>> Regards,<br>> Nonjabulo<br>> -------------- next part --------------<br>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<br>> URL: <<br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/1992795c/attachment-0001.html" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/1992795c/attachment-0001.html</a><br>> ><br>><br>> ------------------------------<br>><br>> Message: 2<br>> Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:51:18 +0200<br>> From: JP <<a href="mailto:froztbyte@froztbyte.net" target="_blank">froztbyte@froztbyte.net</a>><br>> To: <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>> Subject: Re: [rpd] The usage of AI in platforms<br>> Message-ID: <<a href="mailto:A9B484F0-A3F8-408A-B9DF-7E4FE3E2024D@froztbyte.net" target="_blank">A9B484F0-A3F8-408A-B9DF-7E4FE3E2024D@froztbyte.net</a>><br>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"<br>><br>> On 22 Jul 2026, at 12:15, Mzwakhe Mabasa via RPD wrote:<br>><br>> > Good day.I would like to post to the RPD mailing list. Kindly allow me<br>> > this opportunity of being part of the RPD afrinic policy decisions.?<br>> ><br>> > While AI is widely used across the internet, its acceptability<br>> > depends on the specific platform you are referring to . Most social<br>> > networks allow AI assistance, but require the clear labeling of<br>> > AI-generated imagery and ban non-consensual deepfakes or harmful<br>> > content.?LSince platform policies vary greatly, here is a breakdown<br>> > of how the most popular services handle AI usage:<br>> ><br>> > - Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube): Generally<br>> > allowed, but social media algorithms penalize low-quality, generic<br>> > content. Major platforms are shifting to automatic detection and<br>> > require synthetic imagery to be appropriately labeled to avoid<br>> > misinformation penalties.?<br>> ><br>> > - Design & Creative Platforms (Canva): AI usage for brainstorming<br>> > and generating designs is permitted, but platforms typically place<br>> > operational limits on how much AI content you can generate per month.<br>> > Users are responsible for ensuring AI outputs do not mislead others<br>> > and are used in accordance with local copyright laws.?<br>> ><br>> > - AI Generation Models (Open AI, Midjourney): AI tools are<br>> > permitted, but they enforce strict universal policies. You cannot use<br>> > these services for harassment, defamation, or generating unauthorized<br>> > deepfakes of real people<br>><br>> to play off an older joke:<br>><br>> q: ?how do you know someone?s using LLMs??<br>> a: ?they?ll damn well tell you?<br>><br>> normally I don?t need to pay much attention to rpd because things<br>> don?t move that much, and then the last week? the sloppist tsunami<br>> has been quite notable. and it?s near all this kind of milquetoast<br>> nonsense gibberish. I saw someone else mention the astroturfing<br>> component of things too (and a cursory investigation around the poster<br>> domains for the most vocal proponents there had me raising my eyebrows<br>> most spock-like) but I?ll leave that aside for now<br>><br>> it?s probably worth rpd considering a full and complete ban on<br>> prompt-generation and prompt-assistance for use on the policy list, with<br>> possibly a poster cooldown/block period (and some way to deal with<br>> repeat offenders and ban evasion).<br>><br>> there?s both precedent and strong arguments in favour<br>><br>> precedent: a number of other public-benefit and mass-cooperation<br>> organisations and projects have taken to the hardline block (the most<br>> notable is codeberg, as of earlier today)<br>><br>> arguments: the most obvious is exactly what has happened in the last<br>> week (and the alternative of no ban is an utter deluge of worthless<br>> noise, which will space-fill as far as it can go). there is also ample<br>> evidence across multiple years and multiple studies that these<br>> technologies are _bad_ at fine detail, and that?s exactly the sort of<br>> thing that is very ill-fitting in the context of what rpd is to be doing<br>><br>> -J<br>> -------------- next part --------------<br>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<br>> URL: <<br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/f83dfe25/attachment-0001.html" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/f83dfe25/attachment-0001.html</a><br>> ><br>><br>> ------------------------------<br>><br>> Message: 3<br>> Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:52:40 +0200<br>> From: Diroi Karalis <<a href="mailto:diroikaralis@gmail.com" target="_blank">diroikaralis@gmail.com</a>><br>> To: <a href="mailto:rpd@afrinic.net" target="_blank">rpd@afrinic.net</a><br>> Subject: Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy<br>> Message-ID:<br>> <<br>> <a href="mailto:CA%2Bwt7VoZ2hQyw6ZiGAAxr-SRTmXaYwjM-xD_aknC2tj%2BOqhdig@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">CA+wt7VoZ2hQyw6ZiGAAxr-SRTmXaYwjM-xD_aknC2tj+Oqhdig@mail.gmail.com</a>><br>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br>><br>> Dear Musa,<br>><br>> Tshepo and Gugu don't need prior recognition from established participants<br>> before their input counts. Joining recently, missing earlier meetings, or<br>> sharing similar views is not evidence of impersonation or bad faith. Anyone<br>> is entitled to join an open process at Last Call and raise objections<br>> before a proposal becomes policy.<br>> KYC would be a significant procedural and privacy change. It can't be<br>> applied selectively to objectors we don't recognize it would need a formal<br>> basis, a clear justification, proper safeguards, and equal application to<br>> every participant, not just the inconvenient ones.<br>> If you have evidence of misconduct, send it to the co-chairs. Otherwise,<br>> engage with Tshepo and Gugu's arguments on their merits. Familiarity isn't<br>> authority, and "the community" isn't a closed circle that gets to decide<br>> who's allowed in.<br>><br>> Regards,<br>> Diroi<br>> -------------- next part --------------<br>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<br>> URL: <<br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/7c67f9fd/attachment.html" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/7c67f9fd/attachment.html</a><br>> ><br>><br>> ------------------------------<br>><br>> Subject: Digest Footer<br>><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> RPD mailing list<br>> <a href="mailto:RPD@afrinic.net" target="_blank">RPD@afrinic.net</a><br>> <a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br>><br>><br>> ------------------------------<br>><br>> End of RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 158<br>> *************************************<br>><br>-------------- next part --------------<br>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<br>URL: <<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/ba32bf97/attachment.html" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/pipermail/rpd/attachments/20260722/ba32bf97/attachment.html</a>><br><br>------------------------------<br><br>Subject: Digest Footer<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>RPD mailing list<br><a href="mailto:RPD@afrinic.net" target="_blank">RPD@afrinic.net</a><br><a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><br><br><br>------------------------------<br><br>End of RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 159<br>*************************************<o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>_______________________________________________<br>RPD mailing list<br><a href="mailto:RPD@afrinic.net">RPD@afrinic.net</a><br><a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></div></div></body></html>