new regs for expired domain names

[HunkyLuke]

A set of new regulations has been developed by a working group of domain registrar representatives, and ICAAN is now asking for feedback before they decide to make these official. Personally, I see no issues with any of these new regulations, they should help protect legit owners from accidentally losing their domains at expiry

Here is a brief outline of the new regs, taken from http://www.icann.org/en/announcement...21feb11-en.htm

Recommendation #1: Define "Registered Name Holder at Expiration" (RNHaE) to clearly identify the entity or individual that was eligible to renew the domain name registration immediately prior to expiration.

Recommendation #2: Provide a minimum of 8 days after expiration when the RNHaE can renew, and disable normal operation during that time to attract the attention of the RNHaE.

Recommendation #3: Changes to WHOIS after expiration must not alter the RNHaE ability to renew.

Recommendation #4: All unsponsored gTLD Registries shall offer the Redemption Grace Period (RGP).

Recommendation #5: If a Registrar offers registrations in a gTLD that supports the RGP, the Registrar must allow the Registered Name Holder at Expiration to redeem the Registered Name after it has entered RGP.

Recommendation #6: Registrar website should state any fee(s) charged for the post-expiration renewal of a domain name.

Recommendation #7: Registrars who have a web presence, shall provide a link to ICANN published web content providing educational materials with respect to registrant responsibilities and the gTLD domain life-cycle.

Recommendation #8: ICANN, with the support of Registrars, ALAC and other interested parties, is to develop educational materials about how to properly steward a domain name and how to prevent unintended loss.

Recommendation #9: The registration agreement and Registrar web site (if one is used) must clearly indicate what methods will be used to deliver pre- and post-expiration notifications.

Recommendation #10: Registrar must notify Registered name Holder of impending expiration no less than two times. Subject to an exceptions policy, the timing of such notices is specified.

Recommendation #11: Notifications of impending expiration must include method(s) that do not require explicit action other than standard e-mail receipt in order to receive such notifications.

Recommendation #12: Unless the Registered Name is deleted by the Registrar, at least one notification must be sent after expiration.

Recommendation #13: If at any time after expiration when the Registered Name is still renewable by the RNHaE, the Registrar changes the DNS resolution path to effect a different landing website than the one used by the RNHaE prior to expiration, the page shown must explicitly say that the domain has expired and give instructions on how to recover the domain.

Recommendation #14: Best Practice: If post-expiration notifications are normally sent to a point of contact using the domain in question, and delivery is known to have been interrupted by post-expiration actions, post-expiration notifications should be sent to some other contact point associated with the registrant if one exists.

Comments are welcome via e-mail to pednr-proposed-final-report@icann.org until 7 April 2011.

Access to the public comment forum from which comments can be posted can be found at: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comme...d-final-report

An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted: http://forum.icann.org/lists/pednr-p...-final-report/

[jIgG]

wish they'd do something about fixing WHOIS
maybe make it mandatory for everything to be private and maybe ban the scrapers