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[ga] Gaming the ICANN Whois Data Reminder Policy

  • To: NA Discuss <na-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Subject: [ga] Gaming the ICANN Whois Data Reminder Policy
  • From: Danny Younger <dannyyounger@xxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 06:12:56 -0800 (PST)
  • Cc: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Domainkey-signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:Cc:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:Message-ID; b=ZdmB6pTEcAoBHV+4azbvpGDuHHMuJi70zs9VvLGETMz49zlJH0E5mQxyRfn44jUiY88IiCRpcFO++sxOrwjp/05TYUEbWAT1E36DNIj9KSNZyT4foeYYCJ2zqgdiRXFVGALinWtzrgiWTo/btTPEU33+NMaKdpTqiFIaOEUiPA4=;
  • Sender: owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Domain Name Wire has reported an account of GoDaddy
deleting a domain because of an inaccurate WHOIS
record -- see
http://domainnamewire.com/2007/02/27/godaddy-deletes-domain-name-for-inaccurate-email-address/
and
http://domainnamewire.com/2007/02/28/godaddy-responds-to-deletion-over-invalid-email-address/

Per ICANN Whois Data Reminder Policy the provision of
false Whois information can be grounds for
cancellation of a domain name registration.  

In this particular case it's likely that someone badly
wanted this domain name.  They probably noted an error
in the WHOIS record and doubtless sent an email to
registrant which bounced; next they back-ordered the
domain name.  They then notified GoDaddy of a WHOIS
Data Reminder Policy violation and when GoDaddy's
email to the registrant also bounced GoDaddy in turn
acted to cancel the domain name registration.  For a
mere $18.99 (the back-order price) anyone can
apparently use this method to succesfully game ICANN
policy in order to steal someone else's domain.

This case illustrates a number of flaws in ICANN's
current policy.  

(1) The transmission of a WHOIS correction request
should not solely rely upon email.  There are many
reasons that would account for a registrant
non-response to an email including being on vacation
or having such a Registrar message caught in a Spam
filter.  Most of us regard domains as property, as
investments... at the very least we should be
contacted by postal mail.

(2) Registrants should also have the benefit of a
redemption grace period under these circumstances
instead of an instant cancellation.  It is more
appropriate to "turn off the lights on the domain" for
a period of time than to outright cancel the domain
with the initial registrant likely unaware of his
impending doom.




 
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