[ALAC-Announce] Whois Registrant Identification Study, Draft Report

[At-Large Staff]

https://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/whois-regid-15feb13-en.htm
Whois Registrant Identification Study, Draft Report
Comment/Reply Periods (*)Important Information Links
Comment Open:15 February 2013
Comment Close:9 March 2013
Close Time (UTC):01:00Public Comment Announcement
<https://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-15feb13-en.htm>
Reply Open: To Submit Your Comments (Forum)
<mailto:comments-whois-regid-15feb13 at icann.org>
Reply Close: View Comments Submitted
<http://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-whois-regid-15feb13>
Close Time (UTC): Report of Public Comments
Brief Overview
Originating Organization:GNSO
Categories/Tags:Policy Processes
Purpose (Brief):This study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago,
uses Whois to classify entities that register gTLD domain names, including
natural persons, legal persons, and Privacy/Proxy service providers. Using
associated Internet content, the study classifies entities using those
domains, and observed potentially commercial activities. Findings will help
the community understand how Registrants identify themselves in Whois.
Current Status:This Public Comment solicitation represents an opportunity
for the community to consider the study results detailed in this draft
report, ask questions, and request clarifications. In parallel, ICANN and
NORC will conduct Webinars to facilitate feedback by summarizing this
study's purpose, methodology, key findings, and conclusions.
Next Steps:NORC will consider all comments submitted to this Public Comment
forum during the comment period, incorporate any needed clarifications, and
then publish a final version of this WHOIS Registrant Identification study
report. Afterwards, the GNSO Council will use this report to inform future
Whois policy-making.
Staff Contact:Barbara RosemanEmail:Policy-staff at icann.org
<mailto:Policy-staff at icann.org?subject=More%20information%20on%20the%20Whois
%20Registrant%20Identification%20Study,%20Draft%20Report%20public%20comment%
20period> 
Detailed Information
Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose
The WHOIS Registrant Identification Study uses Whois to classify entities
that register gTLD domain names, including natural persons, legal persons,
and Privacy/Proxy service providers. Using associated Internet content, it
then classifies entities using those domains and potentially commercial
activities. NORC at the University of Chicago has been selected to conduct
this study and has issued a draft report, which is now available for public
comment.
Section II: Background
As part of its effort to develop a comprehensive understanding of the gTLD
Whois system, the GNSO Council expressed an interest in conducting an
in-depth study of how entities that register and use gTLD domain names
identify themselves in Whois. At the GNSO's request, ICANN issued an RFP in
October 2009 describing a study to examine the extent to which domains used
by legal persons or for commercial purposes (1) are not clearly identified
as such in Whois Registrant data and (2) are correlated to use of Privacy
and Proxy services.After considering RFP responses received in late 2009
from researchers willing to undertake that Registrant Identification study,
along with significant concerns raised by GNSO Council members regarding the
above-stated study hypothesis, the GNSO Council decided to revamp the
study's goals and approach.In May 2010, a revised study was approved by the
GNSO Council and awarded to NORC at University of Chicago. This exploratory
study ­ detailed by this draft study report ­ seeks a more foundational
understanding of the types of entities and kinds of activities observed in
gTLD domains, including (but not exclusively focused on) those registered
using Privacy or Proxy services. Accordingly, the categories of entities and
activities to be studied were not pre-determined, but rather generated as
researchers examined representative samples of active websites and related
Whois data.Study findings are intended to provide raw data needed to
understand how entities that register and use gTLD domain names identify
themselves in Whois, including (but not limited to) domains registered
Privacy/Proxy services and domains engaged in potentially commercial
activity. This empirical data will not only enable Council to respond to GAC
questions, but will also create a baseline for evaluating potential Whois
policy changes.
Section III: Document and Resource Links
* WHOIS Registrant Identification Study Revised Terms of Reference
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/tor-whois-registrant-id-studies-20may11-
en.pdf>  [PDF, 719 KB]
* WHOIS Studies Report for GNSO
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-studies-report-for-gnso-23mar10-en
.pdf>  [PDF, 487 KB]
* WHOIS Registrant Identification Study ­ Rationale for Changes
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-registrant-id-study-rationale-20ma
y11-en.pdf>  [PDF, 121 KB]
* NORC Selected to Conduct a gTLD Whois Registrant Identification Study
<http://blog.icann.org/2011/09/norc-at-the-university-of-chicago-selected-to
-conduct-a-gtld-whois-registrant-identification-study/>
* WHOIS Registrant Identification Study | Draft Project Summary Report
<http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-summary-06f
eb13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 505 KB]
* ICANN WHOIS Registrant Identification Project | Appendix A: Exploratory
Analysis Report 
<http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-analysis-20
dec12-en.pdf>  [PDF, 1.1 MB]
* WHOIS Registrant Identification Study | Appendix B: Variable Glossary
<http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-glossary-30
oct12-en.pdf>  [PDF, 250 KB]
Section IV: Additional Information
Additional WHOIS studies are now being conducted at the request of the GNSO
Council, as summarized by: http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/>
 
(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed
to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or
decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.

------------------

Regards,



Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, Matt Ashtiani, Gisella Gruber, Nathalie
Peregrine and Julia Charvolen
ICANN Policy Staff in support of ALAC
E-mail: staff at atlarge.icann.org


One World, One Internet