<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Dear all, </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">In the recent GAC communique, there is a paragraph that is concerning for NCSG and what we advocated for, for many years. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">When law enforcement (specifically GAC public safety group) advocated for access to private sensitive information of all governments agencies around the world, we expressed concerns. They then argued that while they cannot deprive non-democratic countries law enforcement agencies from disclosure of personal information of domain name registrants, what they can do is to work on transparently reporting which law enforcement agency has requested WHOIS domain name registrants data.  </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Unfortunately, in the latest communique this approach was discarded and public safety went exactly the opposite. Here is what they discussed with ICANN org:</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">"The PSWG also participated in the update to the GAC on domain name registration data issues.<b><i> With regard to ICANN org’s proposed design of a proof-of-concept WHOIS Disclosure System (soon to be renamed the “Registration Data Request Service”), the PSWG noted the response from ICANN org indicating that a lack of functionality to maintain the confidentiality of requests for Law Enforcement Agencies and highlights that this will likely lead to a reduced engagement from this significant user group of the system.</i></b> The PSWG continued its outreach, holding discussions with a number of constituent groups within ICANN and public safety bodies." Link: <a href="https://gac.icann.org/contentMigrated/icann76-cancun-communique">https://gac.icann.org/contentMigrated/icann76-cancun-communique</a><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Issue is not limited to undemocratic countries. Law enforcement agencies around the world need to be held accountable and asking for unconditional confidentiality takes away the tool we need to hold them accountable and to have an understanding how WHOIS data could be potentially abused. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">What should we do next? Have a meeting with Public Safety Working Group? or GAC? </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">Farzaneh </font></div></div></div></div></div>