There are already protections in the revised RAA, so the place to start is there. Clause 3.15 is where the Charter will fit - if ICANN gives reasonable notice to the Registrar that identifies a registrant's rights and responsibilities, the Registrar must provide a link to that document. But a note of caution - under procedures spelled out in clause 4.3, there must be 2/3 agreement of the relevant supporting organisation to pass those specificcations or polilcy changes. Another important vehicle for change is the possibility of a Code of Conduct for ICANN accredited registrars under Clause 3.7 that requires registrars to aboide by such code if adopted by ICANN (but again subject to the same procedures and 2/3 majority. Finally, there is the possibility of specific policies on privacy under clause 3.3.8 that says that ICANN may adopt policies and specification establishing limits on the personal data concerning registered name holders that registrars may make available to the public through a public access service, and the maner in which a registrar may make such data available. On contents of a Charter, the prime topic should be privacy - the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, and again, the question is what is necessary to be collected and for what purpose. It may be reasonable (and indeed, probably required, that full and correct information is gathered, but then only used/disclosed in circumstances where it is necessary to do so. i.e., to law enforcement agencies, etc). There are already clauses on the issue - look particularly at clauses 3.2.1, 3.3.5, and 3.3.6ff. However some of the language is permisive rather than mandatory, so the proposed charter should be clear about what a person is told they must reveal, how that information will be used (the information that is collected should only be what is necessary to carry out the functions of the organisation, and then only disclose what is reasonably necessary - quote from the EU Directive here) Then be clearer that affiliates and resellers are under the same obigatons. Aand look at clause 3.7.7 ff. I also agree with the suggestion on freedom of choice, but the limit on that, of course, is availability of the name. I'm not sure what else should be in this charter that is relevant to ICANN's remit - would appreciate any comments on that And there should be a code of conduct for registrars about their obligations, that spell out their requirements for privacy protection, their responsibility for the actions of affiliated registrars and their resellers, and obligation to inform theeir customers of privacy rights, the 'right' they have to their domain name, when their registration of hte name expires (one issue that arose in the domain name tasting issue was that some registrars don't adequately notify the reigstrant of when the registration expires and so the registrant loses the name. Other requirements that are in the RAA are tht registrars have to put their contact details on their website - and maybe we should require that it be on the home page, or one click away. Likewise, reselleers should be required to give their own contact details plus their registrar as well. And maybe more clarity about where registrants can go to with complaints. H. Raiche

From the perspective of the visitor to a web page, I want to know the bias of the page. For a newspaper or magazine, I can find editorial and owner information. For a book, the publisher tells me something about expected audience. Web pages, as information sources, must also have some revelation of the owner's interests. I think that kind of transparency trumps privacy interests of a registrant.