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PDP Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information

Last Updated:

Please note that the documents linked below related to the PDP are provided for informational purposes. Some documents are produced by the GNSO and others are not. To learn about the materials on the Active Project pages, please see this overview.

Background

The continued internationalization of the Domain Name System (DNS) means registrations from registrants unfamiliar with Latin script are increasing. On 17 October 2012, the GNSO Council requested an Issue Report to address whether it is desirable to translate or transliterate registration directory service contact information into one common language or script.

The Final Issue Report was published on 21 March 2013. On 13 June 2013 the GNSO resolved to initiate a PDP. On 19 June a Call for Volunteers to form a Charter Drafting Team was issued.

In December 2013, the Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information PDP Working Group was formed to provide an answer to the question whether it is desirable to translate or transliterate registration directory service contact information into one common language or script. The working group was also tasked with determining who would carry the burden if mandatory translation or transliteration of contact information were recommended.

In its Final Report, the PDP working group did not recommend mandating the translation or transliteration of contact information data. Instead, it recommended that registrants submit contact data in any language and script supported by their registrar, ideally the registrant's native one. The working group also expressed that data submitted in a script and language native to the registrant is most likely to be accurate and that the costs of translating or transliterating all contact information data would be disproportionate to any potential benefits. The ICANN Board adopted the recommendations of the PDP working group in September 2015 and directed the ICANN org to implement the recommendation.

Learn more about the implementation effort here; see the latest update of current IRT work in the GNSO Policy Briefing here.

Status:

Implementation Status

Web Presence:

Responsible Staff Members:

  • Julie Hedlund
  • Lars Hoffmann

Working Group Members & Leadership and GNSO Liaison

For the latest information and status on this project:

GNSO Council Request for Preliminary Issue Report:

Adopted on: 17 October 2012

Preliminary Issue Report:

Submitted on: 08 January 2013

Final Issue Report:

Submitted on: 21 March 2013

GNSO Resolution on the Initiation of the PDP:

http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions#201306

RESOLVED:

The GNSO initiates a PDP on the issues defined in the Final Issue Report (see http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/gtlds/transliteration-contact-final-21mar13-en.pdf) on the translation and transliteration of contact information;

A Working Group will be created for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of the PDP.

The GNSO requests staff to commission a study on the commercial feasibility of translation or transliteration systems for internationalized contact data, which is expected to help inform the PDP Working Group in its deliberations.

Working Group Charter:

Submitted on: 6 November 2013

Input from Supporting Organizations/Advisory Committees and GNSO Stakeholder Groups/Constituencies:

Working Group Initial Report:

Submitted on: 15 December 2014

Working Group Proposed Final Report:

Submitted on:

  • Report:
  • Public Comment:

Working Group Final Report:

Submitted on: 12 June 2015

GNSO Adoption of the Final Report:

Adopted on: 24 June 2015

Summary: The GNSO Council recommends to the ICANN Board of Directors the adoption of the recommendations (#1 through #7) as detailed in the Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information Final Report.

GNSO Council Report to the ICANN Board:

Public Comment Prior to ICANN Board Consideration:

Submitted on: 29 June - 10 August 2015

Notification by the ICANN Board to the GAC to Request Input on Whether Policy Recommendations Raise Public Policy Issues:

Submitted on: 2 July 2015

Board Paper:

ICANN Board Resolution Text:

Adopted on:

Summary: Resolved (2015.09.28.02), the Board adopts the GNSO Council Policy Recommendations concerning the translation and transliteration of contact information as presented in the Final Report.

Notice of Policy Actions:

Adopted on: 28 September 2015

Implementation Details:

Additional Information:

None