The pilot period for testing the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) is scheduled to run its course in November. Launched by ICANN in November 2023, it was designed to process legitimate user requests, for example, from rights holders and law enforcement agencies, on obtaining Whois data from registrars.
At the last count, 78 registrars joined RDRS, covering 47% of all registered gTLD domains. Since launching the pilot period, 11,360 users registered with the service and submitted 3,344 requests.
Generic Names Supporting Organization’s (GNSO) RDRS Standing Committee has now drafted an opinion recommending maintaining the service while also upgrading it, including by improving the user interface, enabling authentication for users representing law enforcement, and also enabling API access for both requestors and registrars. In addition to this, the committee recommended allowing ccTLDs to opt in.
According to Domain Incite, the report will be submitted to the GNSO Council and, subject to approval, referred to the ICANN Board of Directors.
