It’s not a secret that the current WHOIS model that is being used is not very effective. Some would say that Mickey Mouse is a huge famous domainer when looking up WHOIS records.
The last and final report from the WHOIS group shows some scary numbers :
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/whois-rt-draft-final-report-05dec11-en.htm
Lets crunch some numbers from the report :
Data Accuracy
Mickey Mouse, famous domainer according to whois records.
- The number of unreachable WHOIS registrations (as defined by the NORC Data Accuracy Study, 2009/10) by 50% within 12 months and by 50% again over the following 12 months.
- The study found that only 23% of WHOIS records were fully accurate and over 20% were completely inaccurate.
The numbers are extremly low. An FBI agent noted :”If you use a WHOIS system with data that is totally unreliable, why still use this WHOIS system ?”.
And the Federal agent is correct. A database with junk, is just junk and thus worthless.
So on jan 11th ICANN announced :
ICANN expects that the RAA will incorporate – for the first time – Registrar commitments to verify WHOIS data. ICANN is actively considering incentives for Registrars to adopt the anticipated amendments to the RAA prior to the rollout of the first TLD in 2013.
If new Whois rules are added to the RAA, it will be up to registrars to decide whether to implement them immediately or wait until their existing ICANN contracts expire — hence the mentioning of “incentives”.
There couldbe a proposal that if a certain percent of the registrars renews early the fees willbe reduced or we will see other “incentives”.
One could argue that ICANN, who have been delaying the whole WHOIS issues for years finally done enough research and finally put the issue on the agenda. Or the pressure from both the FTC and the NTIA. The ANA didn’t manage to derail the gTLD application but the whole WHOIS issue suddenly became a seperate issue with a very high priority after the Senate hearings in december.
How will ICANN improve WHOIS accuracy ?
The GAC already gave them some pointers back in the last meeting Dakar where the Domain Registrars got a verbal smackdown. And let’s face it Registrar self regulation (2009), we didn’t see much regulation…
- Registrar disclosure of privacy/proxy services made available in connection with registration; and responsibility of registrar for compliance by such services
- Obligations of privacy/proxy services made available in connection with registration re data escrow; Relay function; Reveal function
- Registrar responsibility for cancellation under appropriate circumstances of registrations made by other privacy/proxy services for noncompliance with Relay and Reveal
- Define circumstances under which registrar is required to cancel registration for false Whois data and set reasonable time limits for registrar action
- Require PCI compliance in registration process
- Define “reseller” and clarify registrar responsibility for reseller compliance
- Require greater disclosure of registrar affiliates/multiple accreditations
- Require greater disclosure of registrar contact information, information on form of business organization, officers, etc.
As one can see the GAC already figured it out for the domain registrars. No thinking required from the registrars. They only need to implement the recommations to satisfy the GAC.
What do the Registries think ?
Well Verisign issued this statement on the thick WHOIS.
As the only existing registry services provider impacted by any future PDP on Thick Whois, Verisign will neither advocate for nor against the initiation of a PDP.
So Verisign is neutral and also issued the below statement.
Verisign believes the current Whois model for .com, .net, .name and .jobs is effective and that the proper repository of registrant data is with registrars.
Verisigns pattern follows the same pattern as the other gTLD Registries who currently use a Thick whois. The data accuracy willbe something that the domain registrars.
ICANN’s Intellectual Property Constituency supports the transition to a thick Whois.
Simplifying access to this information through thick Whois will help prevent abuses of intellectual property, and will protect the public in many ways, including by reducing the level of consumer confusion and consumer fraud in the Internet marketplace. Thick Whois enables quicker response and resolution when domain names are used for illegal, fraudulent or malicious purposes.
Keep in mind that several ccTLD registries put this task upon themselfs. So i guess we will see more information at the end of march. Till then everything and anything is pure speculation.
Sources :
ICANN WHOIS wishlist : http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-service-requirements-initial-report-26mar10-en.pdf
http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/beckstrom-to-leibowitz-10jan12-en.pdf
http://gnso.icann.org/issues/final-raa-discussion-paper-13oct11-en.pdf
Related articles
- GAC gTLD KillSwitch (undisputed.be)
- Getting Whois data for .com domain name whois.verisign-grs.com (stackoverflow.com)
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