Yes, this is very crucial point that every company that is bring with project must out their Whitepaper initially before the public sale begin. It is the document like a legal document that is brought with an IPO to be listed in the Stock Exchanges for a company. Again, this white paper is very important for the investors where they get all the glimpses about the company for the well decision of their investment into that project.
Yes. It's really an important factor for a legit ICO but it would not be enough as the basis for legitimacy. Investors should also see to it that what is written in the whitepaper is true and correct like the whereabouts of the company and their hotline number. Everything should be verify by them personally so that the money invested in the project would not be a waste at the end of the day.