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Call for Expressions of Interest: Chair of Phase 2A GNSO EPDP on the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data

4 November 2020

LOS ANGELES – 4 November 2020 – The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is seeking a neutral chair for the remaining Phase 2A work of the Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on the Temporary Specification for Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Registration Data.

Candidates interested in serving this role should review the Expressions of Interest document before submission. The document details the role description, required skills and experience, time commitment, and selection process. The deadline to submit Expressions of Interest has been extended to 23 November 2020 at 23:59 UTC.

There will be no compensation associated with the role of the EPDP Team chair; however, travel associated with any face-to-face meetings may be supported by ICANN org. Please note, face-to-face meetings are currently paused due to pandemic travel restrictions.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted to EOI-EPDPTeam-chair@icann.org. By submitting your personal data, you agree that your personal data will be processed in accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy, and you agree to abide by the electronic Terms of Service.

Background on EPDP Phase 2A

The two remaining topics that are part of Phase 2A will be:

  • Legal vs. natural persons
  • Feasibility of unique contacts to have a uniform anonymized email address

Instructions for the EPDP Team to address the issues of Phase 2A:

  1. Legal vs. natural persons: The EPDP Team is expected to review the study undertaken by ICANN organization (as requested by the EPDP Team and approved by the GNSO Council during Phase 1), legal guidance provided by Bird & Bird, as well as the substantive input provided on this topic during the Public Comment forum on the addendum. The Team will then answer:
    1. Whether any updates are required to the EPDP Phase 1 recommendation on this topic ("Registrars and Registry Operators are permitted to differentiate between registrations of legal and natural persons, but are not obligated to do so.", Rec. #17, EPDP Phase 1 Final Report)
    2. What guidance, if any, can be provided to registrars and/or registries who differentiate between registrations of legal and natural persons.
  2. In relation to feasibility of unique contacts to have a uniform anonymized email address, the EPDP Team is expected to review the legal guidance and consider specific proposals that provide sufficient safeguards to address issues flagged in the legal memo. Groups that requested additional time to consider this topic, which include the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), and Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC), will be responsible to come forward with concrete proposals to address this topic. This consideration is expected to address:
    1. Whether or not a uniform anonymized email address for unique contacts is feasible and, if feasible, whether it should be a requirement.
    2. If feasible but not a requirement, what guidance, if any, can be provided to contracted parties who may want to implement uniform anonymized email addresses.

For clarity, the GNSO Council is not directing any particular outcome on either topic. As manager of the policy development process (PDP), it is sharing its expectations for which questions should be addressed as part of the EPDP Team's deliberations.

Consistent with the Policy Development Process Manual, the GNSO Council does expect that all the required steps are followed in the consideration of these issues. These steps may include further Public Comment on an Initial Report as well as a Final Report that would be considered an addendum to the EPDP Phase 2 Final Report.

Additional information about the EPDP is located in Annex-A1 of the ICANN Bylaws and the EPDP Manual.

Additional Resources:

About the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO)

One of three Supporting Organizations in the ICANN community. The GNSO develops policies relating to generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Its membership consists of representatives advocating for gTLD registry, gTLD registrar, noncommercial, not-for-profit, business, intellectual property, and Internet service provider and connectivity interests. The GNSO Council manages the policy development process relating to gTLDs.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

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