Today the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) announced the results of its public consultation regarding the implementation strategy for changes to the dot-ca Domain Name WHOIS Privacy Policy. The publicly accessible dot-ca WHOIS contains the names and contact information of Registrants who hold dot-ca domain names (the Canadian top-level domain). With overwhelming public support for the initiative, CIRA will begin implementation of the new WHOIS Privacy Policy that protects dot-ca domain registration holder’s personal information in 2007.

The WHOIS database allows users to look up information about web site domains on the Internet. The new WHOIS Privacy Policy is designed to balance domain name Registrant privacy with the legitimate need to access Registrant contact information in order to resolve domain name disputes or law enforcement investigations.

Under the proposed policy, WHOIS will continue to display technical information while access to domain name Registrant personal information will require completion of a formal request process. "Once implemented, these policy changes will place CIRA and the dot-ca WHOIS as a world leader in protecting the rights and privacy of individual Registrants," states Dr. Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa and former CIRA Board Member.

Based on the results of a public consultation, CIRA is preparing a final set of policies and an implementation plan. CIRA will work on the procedural and technological changes necessary to support the revamped WHOIS Privacy Policy with implementation starting in late 2007.

CIRA’s decision to change their privacy policy could spark calls for similar changes from ICANN and Nominet; many individuals registering .co.uk or .com Domain Names have been submitting bogus information in order to maintain their privacy and avoid spam emails and junk mail.

The Canadian InternetDomain Registration Authority is the not-for-profit Canadian corporation responsible for operating Canada’s dot-ca Internet country code Top Level Domain. With over 810,000 dot-ca domain names registered to individuals, companies and government agencies, Canada’s dot-ca Internet domain has quickly become a critical part of Canada’s Internet infrastructure.