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WHOIS-Related Current Work:
1. Study Group to Evaluate Available Solutions for the Submission and Display of Internationalized Contact Data.
See: https://icann-community.icannatlassian.orgnet/wiki/displayspaces/whoisird/pages/113475843/Study+to+Evaluate+Available+Solutions+for+the+Submission+and+Display+of+Internationalized+Contact+Data
Presentation to PDP WG on 24 March 2014: 23 March TNT Study Singapore Update 3PM.pdf
The purpose of the study is to:
Document the submission and display practices of internationalized registration data at a representative set of gTLD and ccTLD registries and registrars.
Investigate and document how other e-merchants or web sites manage internationalized contact data.
Consider and assess the cost and functionality of commercial, open source, or other known but as yet not widely implemented solutions for 1) transliterating internationalized contact information to US-ASCII, 2) translating internationalized contact information to English, 3) transcribing internationalized contact information to US-ASCII, or 4) a mixture of translation, transliteration and transcription.
Consider and assess the accuracy implications for transliteration and translation of the internationalized contact data
Based on practices documented in 1 and understanding the issues raised in 3 and 4 and best practices by other e-merchants in 2, summarize some common best practices registry/registrar could do to minimize these variations, if translation and/or transliteration is deemed necessary.
The study team is currently on the first task, and has prepared a registry and registrar survey to complete. Since this group is closely working in this area, we appreciate very much if you have any feedback on these survey questions. Such feedback will help us to make sure we ask the right questions.
Study to evaluate available solutions for the submission and display of internationalized contact data (June 2014)
2. Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services, See: http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services
13 December 2012 – Fadi Chehadé, ICANN's President and CEO, announces the creation of an Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services. This first step in fulfilling the ICANN Board's directive to help redefine the purpose and provision of gTLD registration data will provide a foundation to help the ICANN community (through the Generic Names Supporting Organization, GNSO) create a new global policy for gTLD directory services. Interested individuals are invited to indicate their interest in serving as volunteer working group members.
Initial Report: http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/initial-report-24jun13-en.pdf
Status Update Report: http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/status-update-11nov13-en.pdf
See the Preliminary Issue Report of the Board-initiated PDP at: http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/gtld-registration-data-15mar13-en.htm.
NEW: Final report: https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/final-report-06jun14-en.pdf FAQs: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/display/WG/EWG+FAQs
3. Expert Working Group to Define Requirements for Internationalized Registration Data and Corresponding Data Model for gTLD Registries
See: http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-08jul13-en.htm.
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4. Whois Review Team Internationalized Registration Data Expert Working Group
https://icann-community.icannatlassian.orgnet/wiki/displayspaces/whoisird/WHOIS+RT+IRD+WG+Homeoverview
The Whois Review Team Internationalized Registration Data Expert Working Group is chartered to determine the requirements for internationalized registration data, and produce a data model that matches the requirement.
Draft final report March 10, 2015 (also public comment forum)
5. Defining the requirements for IRD
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See WHOIS accuracy program specification for validation and verification.
7.
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Final report on the Thick Whois Plicy Development Process