[gnso-rds-pdp-wg] Fwd: Syntax and Operability Accuracy of WHOIS Data in gTLDs Presented in Second Cycle of Phase 2 of the Accuracy Reporting System

[Carlton Samuels]

The top label findings in the Cycle 2 Report are highlighted in this
missive.

-Carlton

==============================
Carlton A Samuels
Mobile: 876-818-1799
*Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround*
=============================

[image: ICANN] <http://www.icann.org/> News Alert

https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2016-06-08-en
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Syntax and Operability Accuracy of WHOIS Data in gTLDs Presented in Second
Cycle of Phase 2 of the Accuracy Reporting System

8 June 2016

ICANN today published the Phase 2 Cycle 2 report of the WHOIS Accuracy
Reporting System (ARS), which acts as a follow-on to the Phase 2 Cycle 1
report
<https://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/whois-ars-phase-2-cycle-1-report-21december2015.pdf>
[PDF, 1.7 MB] published in December 2015. During Cycle 2, ICANN again
measured both the syntax and operability accuracy of WHOIS records in gTLDs
as compared to the requirements of the 2009 and 2013 Registrar
Accreditation Agreements (RAAs). The Cycle 2 report discusses the leading
types of nonconformances, trends and comparisons of WHOIS accuracy across
ICANN regions, RAA versions and gTLD types.

*Read the Phase 2 Report
<https://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/whois-ars-phase-2-report-cycle-2-8june16.pdf>
[PDF, 2.6 MB]*.

ICANN developed accuracy tests
<https://whois.icann.org/en/whoisars-validation> to answer questions about
the syntax (format and content) and operability (e.g., does an email sent
to the email address provided in the WHOIS record go through?) of a sample
of WHOIS records. Then, using statistical methods, syntax and operability
accuracy estimates with a 95 percent confidence interval were provided for
the population of domains in gTLDs as a whole, as well as for several
subgroups of interest. The analysis found that 99% percent of records had *at
least one* method of contact that met all syntax and operability
requirements of the 2009 RAA, which implies that nearly all records contain
information that can be used to establish contact.

In terms of operability accuracy, the Cycle 2 report shows that
approximately 91 percent of email addresses, 76 percent of telephone
numbers and 98 percent of postal addresses were operable. See Table 1 below
for more information.

*Table 1: Overall gTLD Operability Accuracy by Contact Mode (95 percent
confidence interval)*
  *Email* *Telephone* *Postal Address* *All 3 Accurate*
*All 3 Contacts (Registrant, Technical, Administrative) Accurate* *91.4% ±
0.5%* *76.0% ± 0.8%* *97.7% ± 0.3%* *70.2% ± 0.8%*

In terms of syntax accuracy, the Cycle 2 report shows that approximately 99
percent of email addresses, 85 percent of telephone numbers and 77 percent
of postal addresses were found to meet all the requirements of the 2009
RAA. Table 2 below provides more information.

*Table 2: Overall gTLD Syntax Accuracy to 2009 RAA Requirements by Contact
Mode (95 percent confidence interval)*
  *Email* *Telephone* *Postal Address* *All 3 Accurate*
*All 3 Contacts (Registrant, Technical, Administrative) Accurate* *99.2% ±
0.2%* *85.3% ± 0.6%* *77.3% ± 0.7%* *67.2% ± 0.8%*

Finally, the Cycle 2 report shows how the accuracy rates break down by
ICANN region. Figure 1 below provides more information.

*Figure 1: Overall gTLD Syntax and Operability Accuracy by ICANN Region*
[image: Figure 1: Overall gTLD Syntax and Operability Accuracy by ICANN
Region]
<https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/assets/gtld-syntax-operability-accuracy-by-region-639x442-08jun16-en.png>
Next Steps for Cycle 2

ICANN will host a webinar on 16 June 2016 at 14:30 UTC to provide insight
into the methodology and findings of the WHOIS ARS Cycle 2 report.

*View webinar details
<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2-2016-06-08-en>*.

The results of Cycle 2 have been provided to ICANN's Contractual Compliance
team, which will assess the types of errors found and follow up with
registrars on potentially inaccurate records. If WHOIS inaccuracy and/or
format complaints are created from the WHOIS ARS data, ICANN Contractual
Compliance will issue tickets in accordance with the Contractual Compliance
Approach and Process
<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/overall-03oct14-en.pdf> [PDF,
292 KB]. Compliance provides updates on a quarterly basis, which include
updates on WHOIS ARS tickets and can be found here
<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/compliance-reports-2016-04-15-en>.
Next Steps for the WHOIS ARS

As Phase 2 is completed cyclically every six months, ICANN will begin work
on Cycle 3 in July 2016. Testing is expected to be complete by October 2016
and a report on Phase 2 Cycle 3 is targeted for early December 2016. Cycle
4 will then begin in January 2017.
Background

ICANN reviews the WHOIS Program every three years as part of its Affirmation
of Commitments
<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/aoc-review-en> (AoC). On
8 November 2012, the ICANN board approved a series of improvements to the
manner in which ICANN carries out its oversight of the WHOIS Program based
on recommendations
<https://www.icann.org/resources/files/final-report-2012-05-11-en> made by
the 2012 WHOIS Review Team. As part of these improvements, ICANN committed
to proactively identifying potentially inaccurate gTLD WHOIS contact data
and forwarding these records to registrars for investigation and follow-up.
To accomplish these tasks, ICANN initiated the development of the WHOIS
Accuracy Reporting System. Throughout the development ICANN has consulted
and collaborated with the community.

The ARS is intended to lead to improvements over time in the accuracy of
WHOIS data, which will be examined in subsequent ARS reports.
About ICANN

*ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure and unified global
Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you have to type an
address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to 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 and a community with
participants from all over the world. ICANN and its community help keep the
Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It also promotes competition and
develops policy for the top-level of the Internet's naming system and
facilitates the use of other unique Internet identifiers. For more
information please visit: www.icann.org <https://www.icann.org/>*
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