FIDE Registration

[Richard Bates]

I assume this does in fact relate to "proper" ratings and not just those available on the FIDE online arena?

[Paolo Casaschi]

We should not forget that for FIDE to have a way to communicate with individual players is in principle not a bad thing.

I agree, in principle; however FIDE has chosen not to interact directly with players and to deal with players through national federations.
Why then the sudden need of communicating directly with me?

With so many sensitive issues around privacy this days, when asking people for personal information you should explain upfront what is being collected, why and how to opt out later on if you change your mind; basic courtesy. Has FIDE explained what they want to do with that?

[Roger de Coverly]

Has FIDE explained what they want to do with that?

Of course not. They've made an arbitrary rule, presumably with some eye to commercial advantage, spamming in other words, and are attempting to enforce it with denial of access to the International rating system to those event organisers who decline to supply the information.

An organisation like the 4NCL can circumvent this by submitting email addresses in the form of [email protected], at the cost of having to untangle the resulting FIDE spam from its regular correspondence.

[David Robertson]

Then we have, in our jurisdiction at least, the Data Protection Act.

If FIDE were to require ECF to hand over our e-mail addresses, I think ECF would be in breach of the DPA if it did so. At the very least, in law as I understand it, ECF would need to seek individual permissions from members before acting as FIDE might require. As things stand with ECF, the DPA offers us some protection. Indeed, we can withdraw our e-mail address.

But FIDE is subject to no jurisdiction of this kind; hence, email databases would be unprotected from misuse, third-party sale, or general propaganda. This last point worries me as much as any. Am I (are we) to be subject to whatever information FIDE officials pump out? Are we to anticipate FIDE going over the heads of our FIDE delegate and national federation whenever they feel the need?

[Brendan O'Gorman]

There may be indirect age discrimination here as those without e-mail addresses are more likely to be older than average.

[Roger de Coverly]

Then we have, in our jurisdiction at least, the Data Protection Act.

The Canadian forum has noticed the issue as well.
http://www.chesstalk.info/forum/showthr ... of-players

Canada also has an equivalent of the Data Protection Act. I'd imagine most "Western" countries do. Just because FIDE tells you to do something, doesn't mean that you should. The ECF missed the boat around eighteen months ago by failing to challenge the whole concept of "registration and licensing".

[David Robertson]

Canada also has an equivalent of the Data Protection Act. I'd imagine most "Western" countries do

You imagine wrongly, I think. The US has no DPA or equivalent; and the EU has a DP Directive in draft only, due for implementation by 2018. Not sure Canada's 'anti-spamming' legislation counts as DPA-equivalent either. It goes without saying that non-democracies and their ilk don't come close to having a DPA

But we do have a DPA; and our national federations must comply with it.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Wasn't the European Data Protection Directive adopted in 1995? There may be some update which is currently in draft format.

[David Robertson]

Yes, 1995, correct. I had THIS IN MIND, from 2015-17 in fact

[NickFaulks]

New regulations have appeared on the website. They appear to say the opposite of yesterday's announcement. This is hilarious.

[NickFaulks]

New regulations have appeared on the website. They appear to say the opposite of yesterday's announcement. This is hilarious.

And now they've gone!

[Roger de Coverly]

And now they've gone!

These are the regulations themselves
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... ayers.html

They've tried to overlay processes suitable for an online server, for which an email address is next to essential, with those for over the board play, for which it is irrelevant. Not least is the problem that for an online server to be successful, it has to enable instant sign up, whereas for over the board play, FIDE insist on players being assigned to national Federations. So for a new player to an OTB event, their national Federation has to apply for a FIN, but rather than telling the Federation or the event organiser of the new FIN, they want to send it to the player instead.

I don't suppose anyone's telling, but the FIDE Arena online service has not been a commercial success, has it? In the absence of an arbiter, or even being able to see your opponent, online blitz and rapid chess can only ever really be suitable for casual play. You might be able to control computer usage to some extent with move matching, but that doesn't stop a cheat having an open book alongside the computer or even a third party playing or assisting.

[NickFaulks]

These are the regulations themselves
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... ayers.html

But are they? They seem to being changing by the minute, and have already been in the Handbook and out again. Who know what this link will take you to tomorrow? Kaloumenos appears to be using the FIDE Handbook as his personal playpen.

Lest there be any doubt, I am posting as an official of the Bermuda Chess Association, which is affected by these goings on. As QC Secretary, I probably shouldn't comment.

[Paolo Casaschi]

Lest there be any doubt, I am posting as an official of the Bermuda Chess Association, which is affected by these goings on. As QC Secretary, I probably shouldn't comment.

To be honest, as QC Secretary, you should know what's all about.

[David Sedgwick]

To be honest, as QC Secretary, you should know what's all about.

It would indeed be desirable if Nick and other members of the QC knew what was happening. However, if other people make purported changes to Regulations which are supposed to be the QC's responsibility without informing the QC's members, that's hardly the fault of those members.