Florian commented: #I looked at "Incorrect contact information in the RIPE Database", and #"I confirm that I have reported the incorrect information to all of #the contacts listed in the relevant object" is a required checkbox. # #This seems to require that complainants try postal addresses, phone #and fax numbers before reporting errors in email addresses. Is this #really your goal? Isn't this a step backwards? I agree.
From my POV, each data element should be treated independently. The existence of a valid FAX number, for example, should not offset or eliminate the importance (or the reportability) of working to correct an invalid/non-deliverable email address.
Similarly, having found an invalid field in the whois, the reporter's "responsibility" should be considered discharged upon their identifying and reporting that data to RIPE. They should not be expected to exhaust all potential contact methods, or to make multiple attempts to the broken contact channel, or to hypothetically attempt to visit the listed address in person, :-), just in order to be eligible to report a problem with data of record. The goal should be correcting potentially bad data, not making it hard to report bad data or shifting work back upon public spirited community volunteers. Regards, Joe