The GDPR doesn't have a blanket ban on publishing personal data! The problem with the WHOIS database is that it's forced upon individuals. The EU has no problem with a WHOIS database that allows people to freely opt-in to publish their data (Whois "privacy" services don't count - privacy must be the default, and you certainly can't be forced to pay for it).
The reason the database is going dark is that ICANN has completely bungled this process, failing to address the GDPR in time (it was adopted two years ago!), and so now they have no choice but to take it down until they can fix it. And it might be that the future WHOIS database won't let you publish data, but that's ICANN's decision, not the EU's.
So to take it to the patent database, all that means is that the patent database must ask consent from the patent author and owner (assuming it's an individual) to show their personal data.
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But let's assume they actually couldn't show names at all (which, again, is not the case). All you'd have to do with to get a (digitally signed) certificate from the patent office saying that you're the author, and then you'd send a copy of that to whoever you want. Hardly a terrible thing.
As a one-off, no, it's not terrible. But factor in the millions of little things, and all the time spent by all those people, and this ends up being a big waste.
I'll say it again - people are underestimating the unintended consequences. And I believe they are severely underestimating it as well.
And with state-sanctioned things like patents, the creator or rights-holder being published could always be a legal requirement (not sure if it is, wouldn't surprise me though)
The reason the database is going dark is that ICANN has completely bungled this process, failing to address the GDPR in time (it was adopted two years ago!), and so now they have no choice but to take it down until they can fix it. And it might be that the future WHOIS database won't let you publish data, but that's ICANN's decision, not the EU's.
So to take it to the patent database, all that means is that the patent database must ask consent from the patent author and owner (assuming it's an individual) to show their personal data.
--
But let's assume they actually couldn't show names at all (which, again, is not the case). All you'd have to do with to get a (digitally signed) certificate from the patent office saying that you're the author, and then you'd send a copy of that to whoever you want. Hardly a terrible thing.