Recently, the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names & Numbers, aka ICANN, updated their policy previously known as the IRTP and now known simply as the Transfer Policy. Generally, these policy changes affect what happens any time the given name, organization, or email address associated with a Porkbun customer’s domain is updated; WHOIS privacy is turned on or off; or domains are transferred to another registrar.
The new Transfer Policy will go into effect on December 1, 2016. To comply with these changes, Porkbun is updating its Domain Name Registration Agreement and Terms of Service in a way designed to impact our customers as little as possible.
The new language allows Porkbun and its privacy service, Private by Design LLC, to act as your “Designated Agent” when you use the WHOIS Privacy on/off button in the Domain Management console. In case you haven’t used the feature before, if you click the grey glasses icon in your Domain Management console, WHOIS Privacy is activated, which shields your personal information from being published online. The changes to our policies will allow us to continue to offer this free, “one-click” privacy solution.
Additionally, we have included an explicit opt-out of the 60 day transfer lock imposed by ICANN’s policy following changes to the registered name holder’s information. In the case of removing WHOIS Privacy, for example, registrants are often required to discontinue using privacy prior to an inter-registrar transfer. We believe that locking a domain after WHOIS privacy has been removed may prevent registrants from being able to freely move their domains to the registrar of their choice. Opting out of this lock will not keep you from locking your domain after any such change, as you will still be able to lock/unlock your domain from within Porkbun’s Domain Management console.
Finally, any change to the listed registered name holder’s email, business name, or name found in Porkbun’s “Your Account” area will cause additional emails to be sent to confirm the change. Not responding to such messages will delay the requested changes.
Specific changes to language
In order to accommodate these changes to ICANN’s Transfer Policy while minimally affecting your experience using Porkbun.com to manage your domains, we’ve made the following change to our Domain Name Registration Agreement (DNRA):
You agree that Porkbun has the authority to act as your Designated Agent as defined in ICANN’s Transfer Policy. As your Designated Agent, Porkbun will maintain the right to approve requests to modify registrant information and changes in domain ownership, including the use of Porkbun’s WHOIS privacy service provider. You also expressly agree to opt out of the 60 day inter-registrar transfer lock following any Material Change of registrant information or domain ownership, as defined in ICANN’s Transfer Policy.
Private by Design LLC’s Terms of Service has also been updated to reflect the change:
You agree that Porkbun’s Domain Name Privacy Service [Private by Design] has the authority to act as your Designated Agent as defined in ICANN’s Transfer Policy. As your Designated Agent, Domain Privacy Service [Private by Design] will maintain the right to approve requests to modify registrant information and changes in domain ownership, including enabling and disabling WHOIS privacy. You also expressly agree to opt out of the 60 day inter-registrar transfer lock following any Material Change of registrant information or domain ownership, as defined in ICANN’s Transfer Policy.