Bruce Tonkin, chair of the GNSO Council, posted the following note to the Whois TF earlier today. It contains a segment on the GAC Communique on Whois. Very obscure, but clearly there is a controversy going on in the GAC.... Kathy ****************************************************************************** ****************** Hello All, I have extracted the following section from the GAC Communiqué presented at the ICANN Board Public Forum on Thursday 29 June 2006. Regards, Bruce Tonkin II. WHOIS and New gTLDs The GAC Working Group on GNSO issues continued its focus on the development of GAC Principles applicable to the WHOIS database and to the introduction of new gTLDs, with the intention of sharing a stabilized draft with the community in Sao Paulo and to enable the GAC to provide guidance to the ICANN Board. Consistent with the GAC's commitment to providing information and advice on the range of public policy aspects of WHOIS data, representatives from Consumer Protection Agencies in three GAC members, OPTA in the Netherlands, MIC in Japan, and the FTC in the U.S. who made presentations during an open session with the GNSO outlining their respective perspectives and concerns regarding the accuracy and timely access to WHOIS data. Some of them and some GAC members also expressed concerns regarding the implications for enforcement of laws of the recent GNSO Council decision on a definition on the purpose of WHOIS data. Some GAC members expressed concerns that formulation 2 would also not provide an appropriate definition for the purposes of WHOIS. The GAC appreciates the interpretation of the GNSO Council Chair that formulation 1 does not imply that a decision has been taken to remove any data from public access. The GAC believes therefore that the final definition of the purpose of WHOIS data needs to reflect the public policy concerns expressed by GAC members. The GAC is intending to produce policy advice on the purpose and use of WHOIS in the form of principles for the Sao Paulo meeting.