The Data Quality Policy introduced earlier this year will be amended with effect from the 22nd September to remove the planned automatic cancellation of domain names that do not meet the necessary validation checks after 30 days. An initial Data Quality transition period, from 7th May to 22nd September, was implemented during which domain names on Accredited Channel Partner and Channel Partner tags were not automatically cancelled where validation could not be completed.
Automatic cancellation of domains that could not be validated was due to be introduced from 22nd September, with the introduction of Registrar Reviews. These domain names will now remain suspended using the Data Quality Lock until the data is corrected or they expire. This amendment responds to feedback received following the introduction of the Data Quality Policy in May, which we recognise was a significant change for both registrants and registrars. We also believe that suspension may be more effective overall in improving data quality by giving more time for registrants and registrars to make corrections.
Accredited Channel Partners are encouraged to continue to use the Data Quality Lock to suspend domain names with poor data. They will also be provided with optional functionality to cancel domain names as part of a data quality process from 22nd September.
Following the introduction of the Data Quality Policy we also heard feedback that Accredited Channel Partners wanted to be able to indicate that they have validated a registrant’s details before the standard 30 day period times out. This change will go live as part of our routine systems maintenance in September.