On 4 Sep 2008, at 14:03, Danny Younger wrote:
Source: http://www.knujon.com/news.html
Phantom Registrars
In investigating the 48 Directi-owned Registrars with questionable locations, we reported facts. The address used by many of these Registrars: "14525 SW Millikan Way Beaverton, OR 97005-2343" is the address of a mail forwarding service called Earthclassmail. According to Directi, the listed companies are registered in Delaware, but not in Oregon or New York as listed in the ICANN Directory. Directi is headquartered in Mumbai, India. KnujOn feels that any company given so much responsibility over the Internet should fully disclose where they are located, but this is apparently not an ICANN requirement.
Indeed, Stacy Burnette, director of contractual compliance at ICANN, said the organization is satisfied the registrars are incorporated in the location listed in their application. Telephone numbers in the contact information need not correspond to the location of incorporation, she said. ICANN doesn't require registrars to publicly disclose their place of incorporation.
To which KnujOn says: Huh? So, as the expression goes, don't hate the player hate the game. Directi merely acquired these accreditations by ICANN's own rules. Summary: One address in the application, a second address disclosed to the public. Read this line again: "ICANN doesn't require registrars to publicly disclose their place of incorporation." How does this figure into ICANN's mission to be an open and transparent organization? "Telephone numbers in the contact information need not correspond to the location of incorporation". How can there be any accountability? This situation is upside-down. Registrants are required to list their valid contact information, but the Registrars who sponsor their domains are not.
Maybe this is more of a topic for the RAA WG? Mr Michele Neylon Blacknight Solutions Hosting & Colocation, Brand Protection http://www.blacknight.com/ http://blog.blacknight.com/ Intl. +353 (0) 59 9183072 US: 213-233-1612 UK: 0844 484 9361 Locall: 1850 929 929 Direct Dial: +353 (0)59 9183090 Fax. +353 (0) 1 4811 763 ------------------------------- Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd, Unit 12A,Barrowside Business Park,Sleaty Road,Graiguecullen,Carlow,Ireland Company No.: 370845