Issue
‘Thick’ Whois Policy Development Process
Upcoming Important Dates
21 June – Opening of public comment forum on the Initial Report which includes the preliminary recommendation to require thick Whois for all gTLD registries.
Summary
ICANN specifies Whois service requirements through its agreements with gTLD Registries and Registrars. Registries have historically satisfied their Whois obligations under two different models characterized as “thin” and “thick” Whois registries.
In a thin registration model the Registry only collects and publishes the minimal information associated with the domain name from the Registrar (such as DNS technical information). All of the registrant’s contact information is maintained by the Registrar, which publishes it via their own Whois services.
In a thick registration model the Registry collects both sets of data (domain name and registrant) from the Registrar and in turn publishes that data via Whois.
The Council has initiated a Policy Development Process (PDP) to consider a possible requirement of "thick" Whois for all gTLDs, and adopted a charter for the PDP Working Group. The PDP WG has now been formed and started its deliberations. This issue is one that also affects access to Whois data, which is a law-enforcement-related issue.
The GAC has indicated its interest in both Whois and law enforcement-related issues in previous GAC Communiqués.
ALAC Engagement Opportunity Status
The WG is open to all interested parties. Additional opportunities for input will occur such as outreach from the WG to the different SO/ACs for input as well as the publication of the Initial Report for public comment.
Additional Information
ALAC Related Documents
- ALAC Statement on the Whois Registrant Identification Study, Draft Report
- ALAC Statement on the Thick Whois PDP WG
- ALAC Analysis of AoC WHOIS Report Recommendations
- ALAC Statement on the WHOIS AC SO Request
- ALAC Correspondence Endorsing the IPC's Statement on the .com Renewal and Thick Whois
- ALAC Statement on the WHOIS Policy Review Team Final Report
- ALAC Statement on the WHOIS Policy Review Team Draft Report
- ALAC Statement on the Preliminary Issue Report on ‘Thick’ Whois
- ALAC Statement on WHOIS Review Team Policy - Discussion Paper
- ALAC Statement on the Whois Review Team
- ALAC Statement on the Recent WHOIS Reports
- ALAC Statement on Initial WHOIS Service Requirements Report
- ALAC Responds to GNSO WHOIS Hypothesis Working Group Report
- ALAC Comments on Privacy of Personal Data in the Whois System
- ALAC Calls for Progress on WHOIS Privacy
