ICANN Board invites feedback on plan to address gaps in domain-data request system
The new consultation seeks community views on a roadmap to align the RDRS with broader efforts to develop a permanent System for Standardized Access/Disclosure. Feedback will help guide discussions between the ICANN Board and the Generic Names Supporting Organization as they reassess previous policy recommendations and consider next steps for managing access to domain holder information in a privacy-compliant way.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is asking the internet community to comment on a roadmap designed to fix policy gaps related to the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS). The consultation, opened on 30 October 2025, aims to shape the next steps for how non-public domain registration data, such as the personal information of domain name holders, is accessed under global rules.
What the RDRS is and why it exists
ICANN launched the RDRS in November 2023 as a temporary system. Its goal is to help understand whether there is demand for a standard way to request access to hidden domain registration data – information that used to be more publicly visible through WHOIS services before privacy regulations, such as the EU’s GDPR, limited access.
The RDRS does not automatically grant access to data. Instead, it provides a single point through which accredited requestors, such as law enforcement or rights-holders, can send requests to registrars, who then decide whether to disclose information. ICANN created the system to gather evidence on usage and to simplify the request process while broader policy work continues.
The policy puzzle behind the consultation
The current consultation focuses on aligning different ongoing policy tracks that affect how such data could be accessed in the future. Several working groups have been shaping policies over the years, including:
- The team overseeing the implementation of privacy/proxy service rules, which deal with cases where domain owners mask their identity through a third-party service
- The team is implementing broader registration data policy updates
- community work around a more permanent System for Standardized Access/Disclosure (SSAD) – a long-discussed but not yet implemented mechanism for handling requests at scale
The RDRS was launched partly to test whether such a long-term system is justified and how it might function in practice. ICANN and its Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) are now reviewing findings and considering whether earlier SSAD recommendations need revisiting.
What the ICANN Board wants feedback on
ICANN is seeking views on a proposed roadmap that outlines how to close gaps between the temporary RDRS and future policy outcomes. The feedback will support Board discussions with the GNSO as they assess:
- Lessons from RDRS usage
- Impacts of privacy/proxy implementation work on data disclosure
- Guidance for urgent requests and law-enforcement authentication
- Whether and how to update consensus recommendations for a standardised access system
What happens next
After the public comment period ends, ICANN will analyse submissions and publish a summary. These inputs will inform Board-GNSO discussions on whether the RDRS should evolve into a long-term standardised system or whether policy adjustments are needed before doing so.
Why it matters
Understanding how to balance access to domain registration data with privacy protections remains one of ICANN’s longest-running and most complex issues. This consultation marks another step in determining whether the internet’s domain-name ecosystem will adopt a unified global process for data requests, or whether today’s patchwork approach will continue.
