Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (EWG)
The Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (EWG) was established as a first step in fulfilling the ICANN Board's directive to help redefine the purpose and provision of gTLD registration data, and develop a potential new model to replace today's WHOIS system. The EWG published its Final Report, which responds to these directives and details the EWG's recommendations to ICANN's President/CEO and Board of Directors for a next-generation Registration Directory Service (RDS) to replace the current WHOIS system. The EWG's work is expected to serve as a foundation to help the ICANN community (through the Generic Names Supporting Organization, GNSO) create a new global policy for gTLD directory services. A GNSO policy development process is to be commenced in 2015 that follows a Board-approved framework for examining the principles and model proposed by the EWG.
- Final Report from the Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services: A Next-Generation Registration Directory Service (RDS) [PDF, 5.11 MB]
- Statement of Stephanie Perrin, EWG Member [PDF, 108 KB] Dissenting Report from Stephanie Perrin (24 June 2014)
- How to Improve WHOIS Data Accuracy, by Lanre Ajayi, EWG Member
- Where Do Old Protocols Go To Die?, by Scott Hollenbeck, EWG Member
- Some Thoughts on the ICANN EWG Recommended Registration Directory Service (RDS), by Rod Rasmussen, EWG Member
- Building a Better WHOIS for the Individual Registrant, by Carlton Samuels, EWG Member
- Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (EWG) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Summary Slides [PDF, 3.08 MB]
- Members
- EWG Wiki
- Framework for a PDP Working Group on the Next Generation RDS
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Resources
- Next Generation gTLD RDS to Replace WHOIS Preliminary Issue Report [PDF, 1.37 MB]
- Final Issue Report on a Next-Generation gTLD Registration Directory Service (RDS) to Replace WHOIS [PDF, 1.2 MB]
- Proposed PDP Working Group Charter [PDF, 710 KB]
- Preliminary Issue Report Public Comment Announcement
- EWG Multimedia FAQs
- Frequently Asked Questions regarding the EWG Report
- Report: Final Report by the EWG [PDF, 5.11 MB]
- Report: Status Update Report by the EWG [PDF, 2.26 MB]
- Report: Initial Report by the EWG [PDF, 1.70 MB]
- Public Comments on EWG Reports and EWG Responses
- EWG Public Research Page
- EWG Risk Survey
- Announcement: Answers to the Top 10 Questions about the proposed Next-Generation Registration Directory Services to replace WHOISE (25 August 2014)
- Announcement: EWG Recommends a Replacement for WHOIS (9 June 2014)
- Announcement Status Update from the Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (11 November 2013)
- Announcement Explore the Draft Next Generation gTLD Directory Services Model (24 June 2013)
- Announcement Composition of the Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (EWG) (14 February 2013)
- Announcement Leader Named for Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (14 December 2012)
- Announcement Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services Launched (14 December 2012)