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Public Comment

Public Comment is a vital part of our multistakeholder model. It provides a mechanism for stakeholders to have their opinions and recommendations formally and publicly documented. It is an opportunity for the ICANN community to effect change and improve policies and operations.

Preliminary Issue Report on Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information

Comment/Reply Periods (*) Important Information Links
Comment Open: 8 January 2013
Comment Close: 8 February 2013
Close Time (UTC): 23:59 Public Comment Announcement
Reply Open: 9 February 2013 To Submit Your Comments (Forum Closed)
Reply Close: 1 March 2013 View Comments Submitted
Close Time (UTC): 23:59 Report of Public Comments
Brief Overview
Originating Organization: Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO)
Categories/Tags: Policy Processes
Purpose (Brief): As a required step in the GNSO Policy Development Process (PDP), ICANN Staff is seeking input on the Preliminary Issue Report on Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information [PDF, 649 KB].
Current Status: Following the request for an Issue Report by the GNSO Council on 17 October 2012, ICANN Staff has now published the Preliminary Issue Report on Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information for public comment.
Next Steps: The Preliminary Issue Report will be updated to reflect community feedback submitted through this forum. A Final Issue Report will then be presented to the GNSO Council for its consideration.
Staff Contact: Julie Hedlund Email: Policy-staff@icann.org
Detailed Information
Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose

ICANN staff is seeking comments on the Preliminary Issue Report on Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information [PDF, 649 KB]. This Report addresses the following issues:

  1. Whether it is desirable to translate contact information to a single common language or transliterate contact information to a single common script.
  2. Who should decide who should bear the burden translating contact information to a single common language or transliterating contact information to a single common script.
  3. Whether to start a PDP to address these questions.

This Public Comment solicitation represents an opportunity for the ICANN community to provide its views on the issues outlined above and on whether a PDP should be initiated. This Preliminary Issue Report will be updated to reflect community feedback submitted through this forum. A Final Issue Report will then be presented to the GNSO Council for its consideration.
Section II: Background
This preliminary Issue Report addresses three issues associated with the translation and transliteration of contact information at the request of the GNSO Council as approved in its motion on 17 October 2012. These issues are focused on Domain Name Registration Data and Directory Services, such as the WHOIS, in generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs). In the context of these issues, "contact information"is a subset of Domain Name Registration Data. It is the information that enables someone using a Domain Name Registration Data Directory Service (such as WHOIS) to contact the domain name registration holder. It includes the name, organization, and postal address of the registered name holder, technical contact, as well as administrative contact. Domain Name Registration Data is accessible to the public via a Directory Service (also known as the WHOIS service). The Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA 3.3.1) specifies the data elements that must be provided by registrars (via Port 43 and via web-based services) in response to a query, but it does not require that data elements, such as contact information, must be translated or transliterated.
Section III: Document and Resource Links
Section IV: Additional Information
Not applicable

(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.