[bc-gnso] Whois studies - progress report

["Philip Sheppard" <philip.sheppard@xxxxxx>]

For information

The e-mail below explains the current rather slow process in establishing
studies on WHOIS issues.
ICANN policy staff are following previous direction to cost and assess the
feasibility of studies that we asked for.
Do let me know if you have any specific comment we might consider and pass on.
Philip
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Liz Gasster

All, 

I have been reaching out to various proponents of studies, and to candidates who
might be helpful in providing study data, on a selected basis, to try to define
the precise parameters of the terms of reference for RFPs to obtain costs and
feasibility for various WHOIS study areas.  You may recall that the Council, in
asking for this work to be done at your open meeting in Mexico City,
specifically invited staff to:  "pursue creative ways to develop cost estimates
for these studies, including re-formulations of the suggested hypotheses. At any
time, Staff may come back to Council with questions regarding study hypotheses."
These discussions have been conducted pursuant to that invitation, they have
been "one-off" discussions, and Glen happened to record and post this one
because I asked her to schedule it.  Other calls have also occurred.  I did not
post agendas or announce the calls, other than to the invitees of the calls.

Please let me know if you would prefer that I handle these calls in a different
way.  

Regarding the substance and status of WHOIS studies -- I have reformulated the
categories of studies into the attached groupings.  (Please see chart attached).
Draft terms of reference for RFPs on the first two study areas, WHOIS "misuse"
and WHOIS "misrepresentation" are also attached for your reference.  I am
currently seeking input on the questions highlighted in the italicized "boxed"
text in the attached.  If you have input to provide, please feel free to do so.
We have not yet begun to prepare a document on "Proxy and Privacy Services".  

I had not intended to conduct a broad community-wide consultation at this stage.
If the Council wants to provide input or solicit broader input now or at any
time before RFPs are released, please let me know and I can of course
accommodate that, noting that will delay the release of these requests.

Regarding Study 4 on the attached (previously study #11) staff is currently
thinking (though our thoughts could certainly change) that this study might be
subsumed by the work of the SSAC and GNSO to study the feasibility of
introducing display specifications to deal with the internationalization of
registration data.

Regarding study 5, we will be initiating the compilation of WHOIS service
requirements in early September.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like further information,
or if you would like me to alter my process in any way.

Thanks, Liz

Attachment: WHOIS studies chart July 2009 for distribution.doc
Description: MS-Word document

Attachment: WHOIS Misrepresentation Studies July 28.doc
Description: MS-Word document

Attachment: WHOIS Misuse Studies Aug 6.doc
Description: MS-Word document