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Dear BC Members,<br>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
<div>WHOIS has been a priority to the BC historically, and
continues to have a priority status.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Please take note of the recent announcement below, and
respond to the BC-Secretariat or to Steve Delbianco, V.Chair,
Policy Coordination, regarding your interest in this public
comment period. There is also a WHOIS Rapporteur, Elisa Cooper,
and you may wish to cc her as WHOIS Rapporteur. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>All emails are provided below : <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:bc-secretariat@icann.org">bc-secretariat@icann.org</a>,
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:sdelbianco@netchoice.org">sdelbianco@netchoice.org</a>, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:elisa.cooper@markmonitor.com">elisa.cooper@markmonitor.com</a>, or you
may simply reply to the full list, and I will watch carefully
for any volunteers to provide then to Steve and Elisa.</div>
<div class="moz-forward-container"><br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Kind Regards,
Benedetta Rossi
BC Secretariat
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://community.icann.org/display/gnsobc/Home">https://community.icann.org/display/gnsobc/Home</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.bizconst.org">www.bizconst.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:bc-secretariat@icann.org">bc-secretariat@icann.org</a></pre>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/whois-regid-15feb13-en.htm"
target="_blank">https://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/whois-regid-15feb13-en.htm</a></span></p>
<h1><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">Whois Registrant Identification Study,
Draft Report</span></h1>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Comment/Reply
Periods <sup>(*)</sup></span></p>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Important
Information Links</span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Comment
Open:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">15
February 2013</span></p>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Comment
Close:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">9
March 2013</span></p>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Close
Time (UTC):</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">01:00</span></p>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-15feb13-en.htm"
target="_blank">Public Comment Announcement</a></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Reply
Open:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
</td>
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.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:comments-whois-regid-15feb13@icann.org"><span
lang="EN-US">To Submit Your Comments
(Forum)</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Reply
Close:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
</td>
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.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-whois-regid-15feb13"
target="_blank">View Comments Submitted</a></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Close
Time (UTC):</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
</td>
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.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Report
of Public Comments</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Brief
Overview</span></p>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Originating
Organization:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">GNSO</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Categories/Tags:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Policy
Processes</span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Purpose
(Brief):</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">This study, conducted by NORC at
the University of Chicago, uses Whois to
classify entities that register gTLD domain
names, including natural persons, legal
persons, and Privacy/Proxy service providers.
Using associated Internet content, the study
classifies entities using those domains, and
observed potentially commercial activities.
Findings will help the community understand
how Registrants identify themselves in Whois.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Current
Status:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">This Public Comment solicitation
represents an opportunity for the community to
consider the study results detailed in this
draft report, ask questions, and request
clarifications. In parallel, ICANN and NORC
will conduct Webinars to facilitate feedback
by summarizing this study's purpose,
methodology, key findings, and conclusions.</span></p>
</td>
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<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Next
Steps:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">NORC will consider all comments
submitted to this Public Comment forum during
the comment period, incorporate any needed
clarifications, and then publish a final
version of this WHOIS Registrant
Identification study report. Afterwards, the
GNSO Council will use this report to inform
future Whois policy-making.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Staff
Contact:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Barbara
Roseman</span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Email:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Policy-staff@icann.org?subject=More%20information%20on%20the%20Whois%20Registrant%20Identification%20Study,%20Draft%20Report%20public%20comment%20period">Policy-staff@icann.org</a></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Detailed
Information</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">Section I: Description,
Explanation, and Purpose</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">The WHOIS Registrant
Identification Study uses Whois to classify
entities that register gTLD domain names,
including natural persons, legal persons, and
Privacy/Proxy service providers. Using
associated Internet content, it then
classifies entities using those domains and
potentially commercial activities. NORC at the
University of Chicago has been selected to
conduct this study and has issued a draft
report, which is now available for public
comment.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Section
II: Background</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">As part of its effort to develop a
comprehensive understanding of the gTLD Whois
system, the GNSO Council expressed an interest
in conducting an in-depth study of how entities
that register and use gTLD domain names identify
themselves in Whois. At the GNSO's request,
ICANN issued an RFP in October 2009 describing a
study to examine the extent to which domains
used by legal persons or for commercial purposes
(1) are not clearly identified as such in Whois
Registrant data and (2) are correlated to use of
Privacy and Proxy services.</span><br>
<span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">After considering RFP responses
received in late 2009 from researchers willing
to undertake that Registrant Identification
study, along with significant concerns raised by
GNSO Council members regarding the above-stated
study hypothesis, the GNSO Council decided to
revamp the study's goals and approach.</span><br>
<span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">In May 2010, a revised study was
approved by the GNSO Council and awarded to NORC
at University of Chicago. This exploratory study
– detailed by this draft study report – seeks a
more foundational understanding of the types of
entities and kinds of activities observed in
gTLD domains, including (but not exclusively
focused on) those registered using Privacy or
Proxy services. Accordingly, the categories of
entities and activities to be studied were not
pre-determined, but rather generated as
researchers examined representative samples of
active websites and related Whois data.</span><br>
<span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">Study findings are intended to
provide raw data needed to understand how
entities that register and use gTLD domain names
identify themselves in Whois, including (but not
limited to) domains registered Privacy/Proxy
services and domains engaged in potentially
commercial activity. This empirical data will
not only enable Council to respond to GAC
questions, but will also create a baseline for
evaluating potential Whois policy changes.</span><br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Section
III: Document and Resource Links</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<ul type="disc">
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/tor-whois-registrant-id-studies-20may11-en.pdf"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">WHOIS
Registrant Identification Study Revised
Terms of Reference</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> [PDF, 719 KB]</span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-studies-report-for-gnso-23mar10-en.pdf"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">WHOIS
Studies Report for GNSO</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> [PDF, 487 KB]</span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-registrant-id-study-rationale-20may11-en.pdf"
target="_blank">WHOIS Registrant
Identification Study – Rationale for
Changes</a> [PDF, 121 KB]</span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://blog.icann.org/2011/09/norc-at-the-university-of-chicago-selected-to-conduct-a-gtld-whois-registrant-identification-study/"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">NORC
Selected to Conduct a gTLD Whois
Registrant Identification Study</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-summary-06feb13-en.pdf"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">WHOIS
Registrant Identification Study | Draft
Project Summary Report</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> [PDF, 505 KB]</span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-analysis-20dec12-en.pdf"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">ICANN
WHOIS Registrant Identification Project
| Appendix A: Exploratory Analysis
Report</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> [PDF, 1.1 MB]</span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style=""><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/whois/registrant-identification-glossary-30oct12-en.pdf"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">WHOIS
Registrant Identification Study |
Appendix B: Variable Glossary</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> [PDF, 250 KB]</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Section
IV: Additional Information</span></strong><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt
.75pt">
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">Additional WHOIS studies are now
being conducted at the request of the GNSO
Council, as summarized by: </span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/"
target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/</span></a></span><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="0">
<td style="border:none" width="177"><br>
</td>
<td style="border:none" width="180"><br>
</td>
<td style="border:none" width="3"><br>
</td>
<td style="border:none" width="103"><br>
</td>
<td style="border:none" width="286"><br>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<em><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US">(*) 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.</span></em><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"></span><br>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""
lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Glen
de Saint Géry </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">GNSO
Secretariat </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org">gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org</a>
</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://gnso.icann.org">http://gnso.icann.org</a></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p>
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