LOS ANGELES - ICANN announced that gTLD contracted parties must update their Registration Data Directory Services (RDDS) by 1 February 2017. According to ICANN, registries and registrars are required to implement the new Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) gTLD Profile. Registries must also implement the data specifications defined in the Registry Registration Data Directory Services Consistent Labeling and Display Policy.

The RDAP gTLD Profile and the RDDS Consistent Labeling and Display Policy are the products of community efforts to improve the current system used to discover who controls a domain name. This system comprises data retrieval protocols – WHOIS and a web-based version of WHOIS – and databases controlled by registries and registrars that contain domain registration information.

ICANN has notified contracted parties that they are responsible for modifying their systems within six months. ICANN consulted these parties when defining the new requirements and implementation plans.