In what could be viewed as an unprecedented move, ICANN has written to each and every data protection authority in the European Union. Why? ICANN feels that there is uncertainty about how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) should impact registrars and registries specifically in relation to the collection, processing and retention of domain name […]
ICANN will be holding an event for registrars in Munich next week. The event, which will take place in the same venue as Domain Pulse, is aimed at new registrars or prospective registrars. The programme which was developed in conjunction with existing registrars and registries is aimed at giving attendees guidance on navigating their relationship […]
As happens every year ICANN has put their budget and plans out for public comment. The organisation’s overall budget has grown significantly over the last 10 years, as has the organisations staff headcount, number of offices and other aspects of its operations. However this year’s budget is going to be quite different from those of […]
Earlier today ICANN held a webinar to provide an update on their data privacy activities in relation to whois and GDPR. Rather than simply talking about the various “models” they produced both a visual mapping as well as a matrix. While some attendees may not agree with how all the models are classified it is […]
ICANN’s board is composed of appointees from a number of organisations including the ASO. The ASO is essentially “the numbers community” which is made up of the respective regional address registries (RIPE, ARIN etc.,). The ASO gets two seats on the board, though their terms are broken up so only 1 seat is up for […]
A few months ago ICANN announced that Elise Gerich would be stepping down as head of IANA. Yesterday they formally announced that Kim Davies would be replacing her. The official job title is Vice President, IANA Services and President, PTI. The IANA functions are the bits that are truly crucial for the proper functioning of the internet […]
The .wed TLD could end up getting divorced from ICANN. The .wed domain extension has always been a bit of an odd fish. The people behind it were convinced that their business model was viable and that people would want to register .wed domains in very high volumes. Because of this “demand” the registry’s pricing […]
The Article 29 Working Party represents the data protection authorities of all 28 member states of the European Union. In many instances the individual DPAs prefer to rely on a high level communication from the Article 29 Working Party rather than taking individual action. As data protection law in the EU has been fairly harmonious for […]
ICANN has issued a guidance notice to registrars and registries in relation to Hurricane Maria, which caused massive damage throughout the Caribbean. Dear gTLD Registries and Registrars, As you know, Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic damage in the Caribbean and surrounding areas. We have also heard from community members that ongoing issues with electric power grids […]
ICANN 61 is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico early next year. As most people know, however, the region was very badly hit during recent storms and many parts of the country are still without power, drinking water or internet. This is not ignored in the welcome video produced by the local host for […]
