RAP WG is the abbreviation for Registration Abuse Policies Working Group. On 25 September 2008, the Generic Name Support Organization (GNSO) adopted a motion requesting a report on the issues with the abuse provisions in the registry and registrar agreements. The report highlighted the provisions involved in the registry-registrar agreements relevant to abuse and also contained several recommendations. Considering this, the GNSO Council in December 2008 agreed to Charter a Working Group to look into the open problems mentioned in the Report; the RAP WG was chartered in February 2009.[1]
Mission
The main mission of the RAP WG is to define domain name registration abuse independently from abuse that occurs from the use of a registered domain. The RAP WG is also to to identify what issues regarding registration abuse fall under the purview of ICANN's mission, as well as to identify the various policies set by ICANN that are binding to gTLD operators and ICANN accredited registrars.[2]
The main objective of the RAP WG is to gather facts, provide the necessary focus and define terms and definition of the various policy issues so that GNSO Council is able to make quality decisions on whether there is a need to initiate a Policy Development Process (PDP) on registration abuse.[3]
Structure
The RAP WG consists of interested stakeholders and constituency representatives who work together with other knowledgeable organizations and individuals in order to research various issues and derive wider definitions for issues mentioned in the Registration Abuse Policies Issues Report and then subsequently take the necessary steps as mentioned in the Charter.[4]
The RAP WG functions on the basis of a consensus. This means that it considers the points of view of all until the chair of the group ascertains that the point of view of the all the members has been understood and covered. Consensus views are included in the names and affiliations in the agreement whereas the minority views are included in the discussion in the WG report. [5]
RAP WG and ICANN
During the formation of the RAP WG, ICANN had mandated that the RAP WG will have to conduct an additional research and information to inculcate the practices of the related contracted parties and entities which include the registrants, abusers, service providers and law enforcement and so on. ICANN also stipulated that based on this research and information the WG will have to identify and recommend certain policy issues and processes. [6]
References