RE: [gnso-dow123] Third draft of WHOIS task force terms ofreference

["Paul Stahura" <stahura@xxxxxxxx>]

I agree with Milton.  It does not make sense to try to tackle accuracy
until we have a handle on some of these other issues such as which data
elements are to be displayed, "tiers", etc.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gnso-dow123@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-gnso-dow123@xxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Milton Mueller
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 3:21 PM
To: council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: gnso-dow123@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [gnso-dow123] Third draft of WHOIS task force terms
ofreference

Dear Bruce and other TF members:

NCUC appreciate many of the changes you have made in this third draft.


I need to consult more with our Council members and membership, but I
can give you feedback on the only area we may have trouble agreeing on.
That concerns Task 4 (accruacy). We'd like to see that task deferred.

Our problem with accuracy is that its consideration in this TF may
confuse and delay progress on Tasks 1-3. We do not object to coming to
grips with the real and obvious accuracy problems. We simply do not
understand how accuracy issues can be resolved properly until we have a
consensus definition of the purpose of whois and an understanding of
what data elements will be displayed. 

In short, before any accuracy issues can be resolved, we must know what
the purpose of whois is, what data elements are required, and which of
those data elements are proviate and which are to be public. Then and
only then can we make progress on accuracy. And we promise, that once
those more basic issues are resolved, we will approach accuracy in a
spirit of cooperation. 

Dr. Milton Mueller
Syracuse University School of Information Studies
http://www.digital-convergence.org
http://www.internetgovernance.org


>>> "Bruce Tonkin" <Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 5/14/2005 9:32:02
PM >>>
Hello All,

Here is a third draft of the WHOIS terms of reference.

The main changes are:
- ICANN mission statement taken directly from ICANN bylaws
- noting that there is a difference between the data collected and the
display of that data
(presently the agreements assume that everything collected will be
publicly displayed - the new draft takes in account that in future
some
data that is collected may not be placed on public display), I have
made
it clearer that the present agreements require Registered Name Holders
to provide certain data to the Registrar and keep it accurate, the
Registrar is required to display this data as part of its WHOIS
obligations.   The purpose of the WHOIS service (ie the public display
of data) is not clearly defined, but the purpose for which data is
collected is indirectly defined in clause 3.7.7.3.
- at the suggestion of the NCUC I have added the need to take into
account international and national privacy laws when defining the
purpose of WHOIS. 

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin





Third Draft of Terms of Reference for WHOIS task force

The mission of The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
("ICANN") is to coordinate, at the overall level, the global
Internet's
systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable
and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems. 
ICANN has agreements with gtld registrars and gtld registries that
require the provision of a WHOIS service via three mechanisms:
port-43,
web based access, and bulk
access.   The agreements also require a Registered Name Holder to
provide accurate technical and administrative contact information
adequate to facilitate timely resolution of any problems that arise in
connection with the Registered Name.  A registrar is required in the
Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) to take reasonable precautions
to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or
disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

The goal of the WHOIS task force is to improve the effectiveness of
the
WHOIS service in maintaining the stability and security of the
Internet's unique identifier systems, whilst taking into account where
appropriate the need to ensure privacy protection for the Personal
Data
of individuals that may be Registered Name Holders, or the
administrative or technical contact for a domain name.

Tasks:

(1) Define the purpose of the WHOIS service in the context of ICANN's
mission, international and national laws protecting privacy, and the
changing nature of Registered Name Holders.


(2) Define the purpose of the technical and administrative contacts,
in
the context of the purpose of WHOIS, and the purpose for which the
data
was collected.  
Use the definitions from Exhibit C of
the Transfers Task force report as a starting point (from
http://www.icann.org/gnso/transfers-tf/report-exhc-12feb03.htm): 

"Contact: Contacts are individuals or entities associated with domain
name records. Typically, third parties with specific inquiries or
concerns will use contact records to determine who should act upon
specific issues related to a domain name record. There are typically
three of these contact types associated with a domain name record, the
Administrative contact, the Billing contact and the Technical contact.

Contact, Administrative: The administrative contact is an individual,
role or organization authorized to interact with the Registry or
Registrar on behalf of the Domain Holder. The administrative contact
should be able to answer non-technical questions about the domain
name's
registration and the Domain Holder. In all cases, the Administrative
Contact is viewed as the authoritative point of contact for the domain
name, second only to the Domain Holder.

Contact, Billing: The billing contact is the individual, role or
organization designated to receive the invoice for domain name
registration and re-registration fees.

Contact, Technical: The technical contact is the individual, role or
organization that is responsible for the technical operations of the
delegated zone. This contact likely maintains the domain name
server(s)
for the domain. The technical contact should be able to answer
technical
questions about the domain name, the delegated zone and work with
technically oriented people in other zones to solve technical problems
that affect the domain name and/or zone."

(3) Determine what data collected should be available for public
access
in the context of the purpose of WHOIS.  Determine how to access data
that is not available for public
access.   The current elements that must be displayed by a registrar
are:

- The name of the Registered Name;

- The names of the primary nameserver and secondary nameserver(s) for
the Registered Name;

- The identity of Registrar (which may be provided through Registrar's
website);

- The original creation date of the registration;

- The expiration date of the registration;

- The name and postal address of the Registered Name Holder;

- The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number,
and
(where available) fax number of the technical contact for the
Registered
Name; and

- The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number,
and
(where available) fax number of the administrative contact for the
Registered Name.


(4) Determine how to improve the process for notifying a registrar of
inaccurate WHOIS data, and the process for investigating and
correcting
inaccurate data.  Currently a registrar "shall, upon notification by
any
person of an inaccuracy in the contact information associated with a
Registered Name sponsored by Registrar, take reasonable steps to
investigate that claimed inaccuracy. In the event Registrar learns of
inaccurate contact information associated with a Registered Name it
sponsors, it shall take reasonable steps to correct that inaccuracy."