Linked below is a very long-awaited report on WHOIS
Accuracy. Here are the key findings from the Executive Summary:
[T]here were three criteria to
be met for any WHOIS record to be considered accurate:
1. Was the address of the registrant a valid mailing
address?
2. Was the registrant named associated in some way with the
given address?
3. When contacted, would the named registrant acknowledge
that they were indeed the registrant of the domain name, and confirm all
details given as correct and current?
An internationally
representative sample of 1419 records was drawn from the top five generic top
level domains (gTLDs, covering .com, .org, .net. .info and .biz). The address
for each selected case was checked against postal records and mapping data for
deliverability, searches were conducted in phone listings and other records
unrelated to WHOIS for a linkage between name and address, and contact was
attempted with the named registrant using phone numbers obtained during the
association process.
Using strict application of
the criteria, only 23% of records were fully accurate, but twice that number
meet a slightly relaxed version of the criteria (allowing successful contact
with the registrant to imply association, and requiring only that ownership of
the site be confirmed, as opposed to confirmation of both ownership and the
currency/correctness of all detail). Eight percent of records failed outright
with obvious errors.
I think the BC most likely would like to comment on this report,
so ask if anyone is willing to volunteer to help with draft comments. Of
course any Members’ comments to the list would be most welcome.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike Rodenbaugh
RODENBAUGH LAW
tel/fax: +1 (415) 738-8087
From:
owner-council@gnso.icann.org [mailto:owner-council@gnso.icann.org] On Behalf
Of Glen de Saint Géry
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:54 AM
To: Council GNSO
Subject: [council] Public Comment: Draft Report on WHOIS Accuracy
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-15feb10-en.htm
Public Comment: Draft Report on WHOIS Accuracy
15 February 2010
The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) recently completed a
study commissioned by ICANN to determine the percentage of domain names
registered under the top 5 gTLDs (i.e., .com, .net, .org, .biz, and .info) that
contain accurate WHOIS data. Today, the draft report is being posted for review
and comment through 15 April 2010.
Community members are invited to review the draft report and its
findings and comment on all aspects of the report. The information in the
report is intended to contribute to the ongoing community discussion regarding
WHOIS and should be useful in any future policy development process regarding
WHOIS.
The draft report can be found here: http://www.icann.org/en/compliance/reports/whois-accuracy-study-17jan10-en.pdf
[PDF, 432 KB]
The Process Going Forward:
At the end of this Public Comment period, ICANN Staff will
review the comments submitted and prepare a summary analysis of the various
submissions.
Deadline and How to Submit Comments:
ICANN Staff is opening a 60-day public comment, from 15 February
through 15 April 2010, and invites community comments on the draft report.
The formal Public Comment Forum Box is located here http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201004-en.htm#whois-accuracy-study
To Submit Comments: whois-accuracy-study@icann.org
To View Comments: http://forum.icann.org/lists/whois-accuracy-study/
Staff Responsible: David A. Giza, Senior Director, Contractual
Compliance
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat
gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org