• ICANN Specific Reviews

• Q4 2024 Quarterly Report (

• 31 December 2024)

• Proposed Updates to the Operating Standards for Specific Reviews out for public comment (23 December 2024-21 March 2025)

• ICANN Specific Reviews Q3 2024 Quarterly Report (30 September 2024)

Accountability and Transparency (ATRT) Review

Scope: periodic review of ICANN’s execution of its commitment to maintain and improve robust mechanisms for public input, accountability, and transparency so as to ensure that the outcomes of its decision-making reflect the public interest and are accountable to the Internet community.

Status: The Third Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT3) Review is complete. Implementation of the ATRT3 recommendations is in progress.

Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice (CCT) Review

Scope: periodic review examines the extent to which the expansion of gTLDs has promoted competition, consumer trust and consumer choice.  It also assesses the effectiveness of the New gTLD Round’s application and evaluation process, as well as the safeguards put in place to mitigate issues arising from the New gTLD Round.

Status: The first iteration of the CCT Review is complete. Implementation of the CCT recommendations is in progress.

Pilot Holistic Review

Scope: Recommendation 3.5 from a community-led Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) calls for the creation of the Holistic Review, a new Specific Review, to consider the effectiveness of the continuous improvement program of Supporting Organizations (SOs), Advisory Committees (ACs), and the Nominating Committee, the accountability of SOs and ACs or their constituent parts to their members/constituencies, and whether the SOs, ACs and the NomCom have a continuing purpose as they are currently constituted. The work to implement the Holistic Review is beginning as a pilot, based on the 29 April 2024 direction from the ICANN Board.

Status:

The PHR team has been working to reach consensus on the Holistic Review’s purpose, scope, and inputs since its inaugural meeting on 30 September 2024. Alignment among review team members on these elements is required for the team to determine its approach to the pilot’s deliverables outlined in the Pilot Holistic Review

Team’s Terms of Reference. For additional information, refer to the PHR homepage here. 

Registration Directory Service (RDS) Review

Scope: periodic review of the effectiveness of the gTLD registry directory service and whether its implementation meets the legitimate needs of law enforcement, promoting consumer trust and safeguarding registrant data.

Status: The second iteration of the Registration Directory Service Review (RDS-WHOIS2) Review is complete. Implementation of the RDS-WHOIS2 recommendations is in progress. 

Security, Stability and Resiliency (SSR) Review

Scope: periodic review of ICANN’s execution of its commitment to enhance the operational stability, reliability, resiliency, security, and global interoperability of the systems and processes that are affected by the Internet’s system of unique identifiers that ICANN coordinates

Status: The second Security, Stability and Resiliency Review (SSR2) Review is complete. Implementation of the SSR2 recommendations is in progress.  

Organizational Reviews assess the effectiveness of ICANN’s supporting organizations and advisory committees. Organizational Reviews are conducted by independent examiners to assess: (i) whether that organization, council or committee has a continuing purpose in the ICANN structure; (ii) if so, whether any change in structure or operations is desirable to improve its effectiveness; (iii) whether that organization, council or committee is accountable to its constituencies, stakeholder groups, organizations and other stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement Program

Scope: Recommendation 3.6 from a community-led Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) requires the evolution of Organizational Reviews into a Continuous Improvement Program for the SOs, ACs, and the NomCom. The work to implement the Continuous Improvement Program will begin as a pilot, based on the direction from the ICANN Board.

Status: The Continuous Improvement Program Community Coordination Group (CIP-CCG)

published a draft CIP framework for Public Comment from 21 November 2024 till 13 February 2025. Public Comment summary will be available here. The CIP-CCG will consider the input received, address improvements as needed, and finalize the Continuous Improvement Program Framework

. The CIP-CCG will then share the framework with each SO, AC, and NomCom for adoption.

Further information available on Continuous Improvement Program Home.

At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) Review

Status: The second At-Large Review (At-Large2) Review implementation was considered complete by the ICANN Board in September 2020.

Further information available on At-Large Review page on ICANN.org

Address Supporting Organization (ASO) Review

Status: The second Address Supporting Organization Review (ASO2) implementation was considered complete in November 2019.

Further information available on ASO Review page on ICANN.org

Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Review

Status: The second Country Code Names Supporting Organization Review (ccNSO2) implementation was considered complete by the ICANN Board in October 2021.

Further information available on ccNSO Review page on ICANN.org

Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Review

Status: The second Generic Names Supporting Organization Review (GNSO2) implementation was considered complete by the ICANN Board in January 2019.

Further information available on GNSO Review page on ICANN.org

Nominating Committee (NomCom) Review

Status: The second Nominating Committee Review (NomCom2) implementation is estimated to complete by June 2022.

Further information available on NomCom Review page on ICANN.org

Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) Review

Status: The second Root Server System Advisory Committee Review (RSSAC2) implementation is estimated to be completed by June 2022. 

Further information available on RSSAC Review page on ICANN.org

Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) Review

Status: The second Security and Stability Advisory Committee Review (SSAC2) implementation was considered complete in March 2021.

Further information available on SSAC Review page on ICANN.org

IANA Naming Functions Review (IFR)

Scope: Implemented in 2016 to review the performance of the IANA Naming Function against contractual requirements and in relation to the needs and expectations of its naming customers.

Enhancing ICANN Accountability - Work Streams

Scope: The project was created as initial discussions of the IANA Stewardship Transition were taking place to provide assurance that ICANN remains accountable in the absence of any contractual relationship with the U.S. Government:

• Work Stream 1 of the Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing Accountability (CCWG-ACCT) was approved and implemented.

• Work Stream 2 entails accountability and transparency-related recommendations which cover a range of topics, such as diversity, human rights, the ICANN Office of the Ombuds, and transparency.

Status: Work Stream 2 in implementation -  Learn more about the progress in implementing WS2 Recommendations.

Enhancing Effectiveness of ICANN’s Multistakeholder Model 

Scope: “Enhancing the Effectiveness of the ICANN’s Multistakeholder Model” project originated in 2019 with the objective to refine and further improve the ICANN’s multistakeholder model of governance. The analysis conducted on the model identified six overarching areas and gaps that should be addressed to improve the functioning of the model. The following three areas were prioritized for a more immediate-term investigation: Prioritization of the work & efficient use of resources; Precision in scoping the work; and consensus, representation, and inclusivity.

Status: In implementation.

The Lifecycle of Reviews Project 

Scope: The Lifecycle of Reviews Project is an internal project aimed to enhance the end-to-end process, support and approach for strategically, proactively, and cohesively managing the Reviews process to continue to evolve in achieving Reviews purpose. The Lifecycle of Reviews project ties into other current projects and pilots, including the Holistic Review Pilot, ICANN Prioritization Framework Pilot, and the Deferral of Organizational and Specific Reviews. These activities influence one another and will require regular communications with the community. The Lifecycle of Reviews project will inform best practices going forward for Reviews, including the overall, continuous program of Reviews for ICANN org. 

Status: Following an analysis of over five years of input on Specific Reviews from across ICANN, ICANN org developed a series of proposed procedural improvements. ICANN drafted a Thought Paper to facilitate high-level discussions with the community on the existing challenges and proposed improvements to the Specific Review process. The work to further develop the proposed improvements will culminate in a draft revision of

Operating Standards for Specific Reviews

.