[ncdnhc-discuss] "Domain-Name Deletion Procedures" have been added to the agenda for Accra

[Manon Ress]

"Domain-Name Deletion Procedures" have been added to the agenda for the
Public Forum at ICANN's meetings in Accra, Ghana, 10-14 March 2002.
Also, questions and comments can be e-mailed to
<redeem-comment at icann.org>.

http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/174678.html
Addressing Authorities Defend Deleted Name 'Grace Period' 
 
By David McGuire, Newsbytes
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A.,
21 Feb 2002, 2:18 PM CST
Internet addressing authorities this week defended a proposal to
establish a one-month "grace period" during which domain-name holders
could reregister Internet addresses that inadvertently lapse. 
"What we are proposing is a safety net," Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers Vice President and General Counsel Louis
Touton said today. 

Seeking to address concerns that have cropped up during the "lively
community discussion" surrounding the grace period proposal, ICANN on
Wednesday posted a supplemental discussion paper aimed at clearing up
misconceptions surrounding he proposed grace period. 

Officials for some Internet addressing companies have balked at the
proposal, raising concerns about the workability and fairness of a
uniform, across-the- board grace period. Addressing companies have also
urged ICANN not to rush to judgement on the proposal, which could come
up for consideration at the ICANN board meeting in Ghana, next month. 

Touton said that some of the early comments about the grace-period
proposal have evinced some confusion about both the proposal and the
current rules surrounding expiring domain names. 

The supplemental paper clarifies that the 30-day grace period would not
replace existing mechanisms that domain-name retailers use to warn their
customers that their addresses may be expiring. Those mechanisms (e-mail
warnings, etc.) would remain in place, but an additional 30-day hold
would be placed on any domain- name set to expire. 

During the 30-day hold the domain names would be turned off, to make it
obvious to the name holders that their addresses had lapsed. 

Touton said that he also wanted to correct the notion that a uniform
structure already exists to protect domain-name holders from inadvertent
deletions. 

Although the registrar contracts that domain-name retailers sign with
ICANN require them to give two notices before deleting a domain name,
the contracts do not specify how or when those notices should be given.
Some address retailers take a fairly minimal approach - sending two
e-mail messages before turning off a customers name - while others go to
greater lengths to warn customers of upcoming lapses, Touton said. 

In its original proposal, which is posted at
http://www.icann.org/registrars/redemption- proposal-14feb02.htm , ICANN
reports a "rising tide of problems and complaints relating to the
deletion of domain-name registrations." 

According to ICANN, inadvertent domain-name deletions occur most often
due to communications breakdowns between address holders and address
sellers. One of the most common causes of those breakdowns comes when
registrants fail to maintain updated contact information, according to
ICANN. 

A less common, but more insidious form of inadvertent deletion comes
when domain-name hijackers compromise a registrant's account information
and use that information to request illicit domain-name transfers. 

Roland LaPlante, the chief marketing officer for Afilias - the company
that operates the recently created "dot-info" Internet domain - was
among those who questioned the timing and workability of the original
proposal. But LaPlante said today that he is encouraged by the
clarifications that ICANN has made to the proposal. 

In this week's supplemental document (available at
http://www.icann.org/registrars/redemption-supplement-20feb02.htm .)
ICANN recommends that registry operators like Afilias be allowed to
recoup a cost-based fee for holding expiring names for the additional 30
days. 

The supplemental paper also recommends that consumers be allowed to
reregister their domains through new registrars during the grace period
if they choose, a move that LaPlante said would give more leeway to
consumers. 

However, LaPlante said that he is still somewhat concerned that keeping
lapsed names out of the available pool for a full thirty days could be
unfair to consumers. 

But Touton reiterated his stance that the possible harm to consumers
stemming from not being able to snap up lapsed names as quickly as they
can currently, needs to be balanced against the harm to consumers who
lose their online identities because of inadvertent deletions. 

LaPlante said that the grace period could be just as effective if it
lasted 15 days to 20 days, as opposed to a full month. 

Elana Broitman, the director of policy for large address seller
Register.com said that while Register.com is not opposed to the grace
period proposal, the company still has questions about the need for the
plan. 

"The (ICANN) board ought to ask a couple of questions about how big
(the) problem is," Broitman said. Broitman suggested that ICANN could
appoint a task force to plumb the depths of the problem and suggest
possible solutions. 

Touton said that despite a fairly intense discussion over the grace
period, it is still possible that the ICANN board could make at least an
initial decision on the proposal when it convenes next month in Ghana. 

That decision will depend on how the community discussion goes between
now and then, Touton said. 

LaPlante, who had raised concerns about the timing of such a decision,
said that ICANN's initial responsiveness to public input has allayed
some of his concerns. "The fact that they responded so quickly to
comments they received so far is a really good sign," LaPlante said. 

But Broitman said she would be concerned if the ICANN board made any
substantive policy changes on lapsed domain names next month. 

"I think Ghana is too soon to make an irreversible decision," Broitman
said. 

ICANN is taking e-mail comments on the proposal at
redeem-comment at icann.org . 

Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com . 


-- 
Manon Anne Ress
mress at essential.org, voice: 1.202.387.8030