Update: ICANN Projects Underway to Improve Whois Accuracy

The following compliance projects, intended to improve Whois data accuracy and Whois service accessibility, are underway by ICANN.

• ICANN Commences Whois Data Accuracy Study
• Registrar Whois Data Reminder Policy Audit
• Registrar Investigation of Whois Inaccuracy Claims Audit
• Whois Accessibility Study

I. ICANN Commences Whois Data Accuracy Study

Over the years ICANN constituencies and others have observed apparent inaccuracies in Whois contact information provided by registrants when registering and maintaining their domain names. In an attempt to contribute to community discussion regarding Whois policy, ICANN has undertaken a study of domain name Whois contact information accuracy. Continue reading »

OBox Maintenance Downtime Notice – 29th December 2007

Please be advised that the LogicBoxes System will be undergoing a planned downtime on 29th December, 2007 as per the Maintenance Window given below.

Why this downtime?

The Downtime has been scheduled for system upgradation and an extensive database migration. This downtime will ensure improved system performance, responsiveness and long term scalability.

The time frame for the migration has been selected after much deliberation and we have attempted to schedule it in a fashion that would cause our Registrars and their resellers and customers the least possible inconvenience. The 29th being on a weekend, allows us to make the necessary upgrades without significantly encroaching on regular business hours.

Also, we suggest that you and your Customers renew any Orders that might be up for Renewal before the 29th itself, in order to avoid them from expiring on account of the Downtime. Continue reading »

Notice of Implementation Date for WHOIS National Laws Procedure

Today ICANN is publishing a notice of implementation of the ICANN Procedure for Handling WHOIS Conflicts with Privacy Law. The procedure will be posted for 30 days, and implemented on 17 January 2008. The draft procedure was first posted for comment on 3 December 2006. ICANN sought input on the draft procedure from the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC).

The procedure has been revised to incorporate advice from the GAC, and is available here. New language has been inserted into Sections 1.4, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 of the procedure, based on input received from the GAC and from members of the ICANN Board in the Los Angeles meeting. The attached pdf shows the areas of modification in yellow. The ICANN Board discussed the draft procedure during the public meeting of the Board on 2 November 2007 in Los Angeles, and noted that “the next step now would be for the staff to update their procedure in taking into account that advice [from the GAC].” Continue reading »