ICANN : WHOIS Accuracy Study Preliminary Findings Reflect Improvements in Accuracy
In the pilot introduction of the WHOIS Accuracy Reporting System (ARS), ICANN has collaborated with inter-governmental and private sector specialists to deliver the most recent assessment of WHOIS accuracy.
For the first time, ICANN has brought together experts in the fields of study design and validation services to produce an accuracy study that uses the latest technology available.
The Preliminary Findings paper [PDF, 668 KB] published today describes the result of this unique collaboration. This paper is being released by ICANN in advance of its October Los Angeles Meetings to illustrate the features of the ARS under development, as well as to solicit feedback on the approach, methodology and reporting formats. This feedback will help shape the final design of the ARS. After the Los Angeles Meeting, ICANN will publish the full Pilot Report, which provides detailed findings and explanations of the methodology deployed in the Study.
When fully developed, the ARS will produce ongoing reports capable of tracking trends in accuracy rates, and reporting on the specific factors that affect accuracy. This data may be useful to assess the effectiveness of recent efforts at improving accuracy rates, and to support ongoing policy development activities related to WHOIS.
Preliminary Findings
The Pilot study examined accuracy rates from multiple perspectives to give a realistic picture of today’s WHOIS. While the study results are still being confirmed, the preliminary findings reveal that:
Operationally, Registrars under the 2013 RAA have more accuracy for email addresses than Registrars under the 2009 RAA;
New gTLDs have slightly better operational email accuracy rates than prior gTLDs;
Prior gTLDs have more operational accuracy on telephone numbers, but the two groups are equal on operational postal address accuracy.
These preliminary findings are being published to facilitate discussion on the methodology sample sizes, and approach at the Los Angeles Meeting. The statistics published today are subject to further analysis and confirmation, to be included in the Full Pilot Study to be published after the Los Angeles Meeting for Public Comment.
Global Expertise
The findings in the Paper are the product of an in-depth examination of postal addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers. Postal address statistics were developed with guidance from the Universal Postal Union (Switzerland), a specialized agency of the UN that coordinates postal policies worldwide for its member countries. Other validation expertise was provided by leading commercial firms, including StrikeIron (USA), utilizing its proprietary email validation systems, DigiCert (USA), a provider of digital certificates and telephone validation services, and aided by a unique data parsing service by Whibse (USA).
Study Design
ICANN turned to NORC to design, work with validation providers, and conduct the analysis necessary to produce and deliver this analysis. NORC’s past accuracy studies influenced the WHOIS Review Team. The Review Team’s Final Report called for ICANN to publish ongoing statistics on WHOIS accuracy.
The Pilot study examines accuracy levels by applying syntactic validation and operation validation tests to a Registrant’s postal address, email, and telephone numbers listed in a WHOIS record. Although the study did not attempt to apply identity validation techniques, ICANN is exploring the feasibility of including identity validation in subsequent development phases of the ARS.
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