[council] Preliminary Issue Report on gTLD Registration Data Services

[Glen de Saint Géry <Glen@xxxxxxxxx>]

https://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/gtld-registration-data-15mar13-en.htm
Preliminary Issue Report on gTLD Registration Data Services
Comment / Reply Periods (*)
Comment Open Date:
15 March 2013
Comment Close Date:
19 April 2013 - 23:59 UTC
Reply Open Date:
20 April 2013
Reply Close Date:
13 May 2013 - 23:59 UTC
Important Information Links
Public Comment 
Announcement<https://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-15mar13-en.htm>
To Submit Your Comments 
(Forum)<mailto:comments-gtld-registration-data-15mar13@xxxxxxxxx>
View Comments 
Submitted<http://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-gtld-registration-data-15mar13>
Brief Overview
Originating Organization:
GNSO
Categories/Tags:

 *   Policy Processes
Purpose (Brief):
This Public Forum invites comments on the Preliminary Issue Report on the gTLD 
registration data 
services<http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/gtlds/registration-data-prelim-15mar13-en.pdf>
 [PDF, 946 KB]. The Report forms part of a ICANN Board-initiated GNSO policy 
development process (PDP) that aims to review the purpose and accuracy of 
domain name registration data and directory services, as well as its underlying 
technical protocol - currently also known as 'Whois'.
Current Status:
The Preliminary Issue Report explores the issue of gTLD registration data 
services, which includes the purpose of collecting and maintaining gTLD 
registration data, and solutions to improve accuracy and access to gTLD 
registration data. This Public Comment solicitation represents an opportunity 
to share perspectives on this topic as well as the contents of the Preliminary 
Issue Report. In parallel to this Preliminary Issue Report, the ICANN Board has 
convened an Expert Working Group (EWG) whose findings will feed into the Final 
Issue Report.
Next Steps:
Following review of the public comment forum and once the Expert Working Group 
has concluded its work, a Final Issue Report will be published and the PDP will 
be initiated.
Staff Contact:
Lars Hoffmann
Email Staff 
Contact<mailto:policy-staff@xxxxxxxxx?subject=More%20information%20on%20the%20Preliminary%20Issue%20Report%20on%20gTLD%20Registration%20Data%20Services%20public%20comment%20period>
Detailed Information
Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose:

Comprehensive 'Whois' policy reform remains the source of long-running 
discussions within the ICANN as well as wider Internet community. Any 
discussion of 'Whois' - hereafter called gTLD registration data and directory 
services - typically includes topics such as purpose, accuracy, availability, 
privacy, anonymity, cost, policing, intellectual property protection, security 
and malicious use and abuse.

The Board specifically called out two of these topics in its request; purpose 
and accuracy. With regard to purpose, at a minimum the most basic purpose, 
which is commonly accepted, is that gTLD registration data allows domain name 
holders to be contacted. However, who would be granted the right to access the 
data under what circumstances and contact the holder and by which means, is a 
set of difficult follow-up questions that need to be answered. In relation to 
accuracy, There are many data elements in the Whois database required under the 
Registry Agreements and the Registrar Accreditation Agreements; if only one of 
these data fields is incorrect, does that mean the Whois information is 
inaccurate? And how can the accuracy of data be verified and/or measured, 
especially considering that if data is not accurate the purpose of gathering 
the data might be questionable in the first place.

This Preliminary Issue report lays out in detail many of the issues mentioned 
above and how they relate to the gTLD registration data and directory services. 
In addition, it also provides an overview of many of the affected Stakeholder 
Groups, Constituencies, and other relevant parties. Furthermore, the Report 
explains in details the continuous issues with regard to accuracy and purpose 
of gTLD registration data services and elaborates on the need for changes to 
the technical aspects.

In addition to requesting the Issue Report, the Board has directed the 
formation of an Expert Working Group (EWG) that is currently working on a 
comprehensive proposal how to solve the issues surrounding the purpose and 
accuracy of domain registration data services. The EWG is tasked with providing 
concrete solutions to many (if not all) of the issues raised in this Report. In 
accordance with the Board's direction, the outcome of the EWG will feed into 
the Final Issue Report which will form the basis for the next steps in the 
Policy Development Process.
Section II: Background:

After the submission of a Report drafted by the Whois Policy Review Team in 
2012, the ICANN Board passed a resolution on 8 November 
2012<https://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-08nov12-en.htm>
 that led to the creation of an Expert Working Group (EWG) and, in parallel, 
also launched a Board-initiated GNSO Policy Development Process (PDP).

ICANN's requirements for domain name registration data collection, access and 
accuracy for gTLD registries have undergone some important changes; yet after 
more than 12 years of GNSO task forces, working groups, workshops, surveys and 
studies the policy is still in need of comprehensive reforms that address the 
significant number of issues related to gTLD registration data services.

Following review of the public comments received, the Staff Manager will update 
the Issue Report as appropriate and submit a summary of the comments received 
together with the Final Issue Report.
Section III: Document and Resource Links:

 *   Preliminary Issue Report on gTLD Registration Data Services - 
http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/gtlds/registration-data-prelim-15mar13-en.pdf 
[PDF, 946 KB]
 *   Board resolution from 8 November 2012 - 
http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-08nov12-en.htm<https://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-08nov12-en.htm>
 *   Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services - 
https://community.icann.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=40175189
 *   Closed and archived GNSO Whois Policy Work - 
http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/archive
Section IV: Additional Information:
N/A
________________________________

(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to 
be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making 
that takes place once this period lapses.


Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat
gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://gnso.icann.org