Background
In December, ICANN announced the creation of an Expert Working Group (EWG) on next-generation gTLD registration directory services, as a first step in fulfilling the ICANN Board’s directive to help redefine the purpose and provision of gTLD registration data. The work of the EWG is expected to serve as a foundation to help GNSO create a new global policy for the provision of gTLD registration data, as part of a Board requested Policy Development Process (PDP) to be commenced upon the conclusion of the EWG's activities.
Recent Activities
After conducting a comprehensive review of issues surrounding the requirements for a next-generation gTLD Registration Directory Service (RDS), the EWG worked to answer questions posed by the ICANN Board’s directive and SSAC055. The EWG has now posted an initial draft report to share its progress with the community and enable feedback through an online comment forum. The Initial Report describes the design principles & features needed for replacement system to WHOIS, after considering the important Community work over the last decade, including from the GNSO, the SSAC, WHOIS Review Team, and the GAC. These principles clarify the acceptable uses of registration data, the associated data elements, and permitted users. The Report also describes a proposed EWG Model highlighting how these design principles & features could be fulfilled in the ICANN domain ecosystem. The EWG will apply community input in its final report to refine its recommendations and address questions not yet fully explored.
Community Input Sought in Durban
Durban not only presents an opportunity for the EWG to share its initial recommendations with the ICANN community and invite feedback, but also to obtain community input on questions still under discussion within the EWG.
For More Information
Information about EWG meetings and activities can be found on the EWG’s public wiki: https://community.icann.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=40175189
The EWG's initial draft report and associated online comment forum can be found at: http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/initial-report-24jun13-en.pdf [PDF, 1.7 MB]