damn_registrars's Journal: How ICANN could help reduce spam

On more than a few occasions, I have commented on how I feel ICANN has dropped the ball on the role they ought to play in reducing spam and internet crime.

One recent example was my comment where I said that ICANN is missing the point in choosing to go after domain tasting instead.
Yet, no fewer than three different replies came in from people who misread my posting to somehow be looking for ICANN to provide police work. Go figure.
So here, I will point out where ICANN drops the ball, and where they can reasonably take action, as the regulator of registrars for some of the most prominent TLDs on the internet.

First, I will very plainly spell out the role of ICANN. They serve primarily to select which registrars can or can not sell domains from within a list of TLDs such as .com, .org, .net, and .info, to name a few. ICANN has posted the Accreditation process and requirements in a straightforward manner. That page lists what documents have to be filled out and submitted, and what fees must be paid in order to become an accredited registrar. It also lists what terms a registrar must abide by to keep their accredited status.

It is important to note on this matter that of course, as the ICANN has the ability to grant accredited status, they also have the right to revoke it from those who do not abide by the rules. And this right of theirs is what I am asking them to exercise.

The connection between this and spam is straightforward. Spammers know which registrars are most spammer-friendly. In general, the registrars that are most cooperative towards spammers are the ones that are willing to submit bogus registration (WHOIS) data for domains that they have sold. And the maintenance of accurate WHOIS data is one of the key points of the accreditation agreement for registrars.

In short, I just want the ICANN to actually take positive steps to ensure that accredited registrars actually maintain the records that they are obligated to keep. The registrars who blatantly violate this know who they are, and they use a variety of mechanisms to hide their offenses. I just want ICANN to use the one power they have - that to revoke accreditation status - on the registrars that willingly provide bogus WHOIS data.

This is in no way a law enforcement function that I am asking from ICANN. I just want ICANN to ensure that the proper data is made available so that the appropriate authorities can be contacted in regards to internet crime.