Dear all,

You and your constituents/groups may be interested to know that we have just published the Final Reports on Whois Privacy & Proxy Abuse and on Whois Misuse on the GNSO website: http://gnso.icann.org/en/group-activities/other/whois/studies. The Final Report on Privacy and Proxy Abuse can be accessed at http://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/pp-abuse-study-final-07mar14-en.pdf, and that for Whois Misuse at http://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/misuse-study-final-13mar14-en.pdf.

As you know, the preliminary reports for both studies were published in September and November 2013 respectively for public comment. A substantial number of comments were received, all of which were considered by both research teams (NPL & Dr. Richard Clayton for Privacy & Proxy; CMU's Cylab for Misuse). Both teams' Final Reports include additions and comments that address the public comments that were received.

As you also know, the publication of these two reports means that the series of studies commissioned by the GNSO Council that were intended to gather objective data regarding various aspects of Whois are now complete. The GNSO Council can now – beginning with the planned update session in Singapore – start to consider possible next steps in relation to these studies, in the broader context of the other policy work that is now going on with respect to Whois.

Cheers

Mary