<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">For how long can ICANN continue to ignore the warnings from data protection commissioners (like the Article 29 Working Party) that ICANN's WHOIS policy violates the privacy rights of Internet users?<div><br></div><div>The below ICANN "announcement" is rather startling in how it tries to sell (and further entrench) its WHOIS policy without any regard for the bottom-up policy process.<br><div><br></div><div>Robin</div><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">David Olive <<a href="mailto:david.olive@icann.org">david.olive@icann.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;"><b>[Soac-infoalert] ICANN News Alert -- ICANN Launches WHOIS Website Beta</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">November 5, 2013 9:03:34 AM PST<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">"<a href="mailto:soac-infoalert@icann.org">soac-infoalert@icann.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:soac-infoalert@icann.org">soac-infoalert@icann.org</a>><br></span></div><br><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">[<a href="http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/>">http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/></a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">News Alert<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-04nov13-en.htm">http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-04nov13-en.htm</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">________________________________<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">ICANN Launches WHOIS Website Beta<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">4 November 2013<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Following through on community recommendations for improving<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">accountability and transparency, ICANN has launched the first phase of a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">new "one-stop" online resource about the WHOIS directory service. This<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">new information website provides a clear and easy-to-understand<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">explanation of how to access existing WHOIS information on who has<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">registered domain names. It also makes it easy to notify relevant parties<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">of a data accuracy issue.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Members of the community are invited to view the beta site and provide<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">comments via feedback forms. ICANN staff and the design team will<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">consider all comments and suggestions as we continually improve the site.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Previously, it was difficult to get a holistic understanding of WHOIS as<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">information was highly distributed over many different websites. This new<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">website, <a href="http://whois.icann.org">whois.icann.org</a><<a href="http://whois.icann.org">http://whois.icann.org</a>>, will be a centralized<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">location for all WHOIS information, making it easier to learn about<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">WHOIS, raise accuracy issues about WHOIS information and how to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">contribute to WHOIS policies. ICANN expects to launch an integrated<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">search function in January 2014 as part of the site's second phase.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">The WHOIS directory service is an essential tool used by many people and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">organizations every day. Anyone who needs to know who is behind a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">website, domain name can look it up via WHOIS directory information.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Network administrators, registry operators, domain name registrants,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">governments, law enforcement, consumer groups, and the international<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Internet community find it crucial.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">In addition to identifying domain name holders, WHOIS data also allows<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">network administrators and others to find and fix system problems and to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">maintain Internet stability. With it, they can determine the availability<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">of domain names, combat spam or fraud, identify trademark infringement<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">and enhance accountability of domain name registrants. WHOIS data is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">sometimes used to track down and identify registrants who may be posting<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">illegal content or engaging in phishing scams.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">The Affirmation of Commitments requires ICANN to "maintain timely,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">unrestricted and public access to accurate and complete WHOIS<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">information...." It also calls for a review of WHOIS policy and its<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">implementation every three years to assess its effectiveness in meeting<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">legitimate needs of law enforcement and promoting consumer trust. This<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">new website is the result of recommendations made by the last review<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">panel.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">--<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">David A. Olive<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Vice President, Policy Development Support<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">General Manager, ICANN Regional Headquarters Istanbul<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hakki Yeten Cad. Selenium Plaza No:10/C K:5<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">34349 Fulya, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Tel: +90.212.381.8727 - Fax: +90.212.381.8731 - Mobile: +1. 202.341.3611<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote>_______________________________________________<br>soac-infoalert mailing list<br><a href="mailto:soac-infoalert@icann.org">soac-infoalert@icann.org</a><br>https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/soac-infoalert<br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>