Whois Task 1 Questionnaire

Please click here for the text version of this questionnaire

From: ICANN Whois Taskforce 1

Re: Your need for Whois information

To: [ ]

Dear [ ]

Because Whois data accessibility used in your business or activities could be affected by our recommendations, we encourage you to take a few moments to answer the questions below. Your input will be greatly appreciated. Your submissions will not be shared beyond the members of this task force.

This letter comes to you on behalf of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is an internationally organized, non-profit corporation that has responsibility for Internet Protocol address space allocation, protocol identifier assignment, generic and country code Top-Level Domain name system management, and root server system management functions. The GNSOs role is to help to promote the development of gTLD domain name-related policy and encourage diverse and international participation in the technical management of the Internet.

We are members of a Task Force that has been appointed by the GNSO to examine the uses of Whois information obtained through two very specific sources. Under contractual agreements with ICANN, top-level domain registries and registrars are required to provide access to Whois data through Port 43as well as through the Web.

To help the task force develop policy recommendations about access to Whois data, we are gathering information from organizations such as yours that we understand are using or have used Whois information for various purposes.

Please note that all questions pertain only to whois information which is the name, email, street address, phone and other information about the registrant, and the other contacts, of the domain name), and not to zone file information which is the list of all domain names (with each names name servers) registered at the registry.

In addition, for each question except for the last one, please feel free to select more than one answer to each question, if more than one answer is applicable.

In order to ensure that your responses are considered by the Task Force, please respond to this questionnaire by no later than February 16, 2004. Please send your reply to tf1-survey@gnso.icann.org.

Questions

1) ICANN-Accredited Registrars and gTLD Registries make Whois information available through multiple query-based mechanisms, including web-based interfaces and a special network protocol informally referred to as port-43 Whois. How do you obtain the Whois information?

a. By submitting queries to a Web-based interface

b. By submitting queries using special tools, e.g., using port-43-based interface

c. By entering into bulk access licenses with ICANN- accredited registrars.

d. By obtaining WHOIS data in bulk from an entity that is not an ICANN-Accredited Registrar. Please specify the type of entity.

e. Other (Please explain)

f. I don't know.

2) Are you getting this information directly from an ICANN-Accredited Registrar [Provide a link] or gTLD Registry [Provide a link]?

a. Yes

b. No.

c. I don't know

3) Do you routinely disseminate the obtained Whois information to third parties (Yes/No/dont know)?

3.1) If yes, do you disseminate:

3.2)

a. individual WHOIS records

b. WHOIS records in bulk

c. Other (please explain)

d. Dont know

3.2) If you answered yes to Number 3, how do you disseminate the obtained Whois information?

a) I operate a WHOIS proxy that is available through port 43

b) I operate a WHOIS proxy that is accessible through a web interface

c) Other (please specify)

d) Dont know

4) Approximately how many Whois queries/lookups do you perform on average per day?

a. Less than 10

b. 10-99

c. 100-1000

d. More than 1000

e. It varies too much to select the other options: some days it is many (say, over 1000) and some days none

f. I don't know

5) Do you store the Whois information?

a. Not at all

b. I cache queries for a short period (less than a week)

c. I store it for longer periods such as more than a week

6) Please indicate the general purposes of your use of Whois data (you may select more than one item - choose as many that apply)

a. For law enforcement by public authorities

b. For intellectual property enforcement by trademark/copyright holders or their designated representatives

c. For development of commercial products or services that facilitate law enforcement by public authorities.

d. For development of commercial products or services that facilitate intellectual property enforcement

e. For marketing purposes

f. For inter-registrar domain name transfers

g. To facilitate spam prevention

h. To operate a public information service

i. Statistical research on domain name registrations, Internet users, etc.

j. For resale of Whois information as an information service

k. Other (please explain)

7) Please provide a brief explanation of your use, if any, of query-based Whois services.

8) If you currently use Port 43 to access WHOIS information, and such access were not available in the future, what other source(s) would you use for such data?

9) If you were to use such alternate source(s), what do you believe will be the effect on you or your organization?

10) What is the most important factor driving your access to Whois data as you currently use it? (Although each answer may be applicable to you or your organization, please select only the most relevant answer below):

a) the cost

b) the convenience or need for immediate online access to contact information

c) other

Please explain your answer.

Please take a moment to tell us a little about your organization to assist us in understanding and organizing the results.

In order to ensure that your responses are considered by the Task Force, please respond to this questionnaire by no later than February 16, 2004. Please send your reply tf1-survey@gnso.icann.org.

Thank you very much for your time and participation. Please see our complete description of work.