Nominet will attempt to validate all name and address data through a number of third party data sources at the point of registration, or when the data is changed. Further information is available on how Nominet performs the initial data validation and the process is set out in our data quality process maps.
Validated data
Validation means that all of the following conditions can be satisfied:
- Data passes the initial data completeness check; and
- The registrant’s name is present on a third party database, or other verification can be supplied, including by the registrar, registrant or other reliable third party source; and
- The registrant’s address is present on a third party database or other verification can be supplied, including by the registrar, registrant or other reliable third party source
Data that cannot be validated
Data that cannot be validated through our third party sources will be further analysed by Nominet. Data that is most likely to be inaccurate or incomplete will be manually reviewed. If it is confirmed as being inaccurate, incomplete and/or in breach of our Terms & Conditions of Domain Name Registration a data quality work flow will be started as described below.
For data classified as less likely to be inaccurate no further action will be taken by us at this stage, although we will undertake spot-checks on data in this category. The data will be flagged on the WHOIS as ‘Nominet was not able to match the registrant’s name and/or address against a 3rd party data source on DD-Month-YYYY’.
If Accredited Channel Partners choose to validate data that they have received notifications for, or data less likely to be inaccurate, and confirm this to us, the WHOIS entry will show as ‘The Registrar is responsible for having checked these contact details’. Please see EPP for instructions on how to positively validate your data.
Channel Partner or Self-Managed tags
Non-validated data submitted by Self-Managed or Channel Partner tags and manually classified as most likely to be inaccurate, will result in an e-mail being sent to the registrant. We will ask them to either:
- Correct or update the data provided; or
- Send appropriate documentation to allow validation of the data provided
We will then process the data in the following ways.
- Where the data is updated or corrected this will be re-submitted for validation. If it is still not possible to validate the data the registrant will be asked for documentation to evidence their name and/or address.
- Where documentation is provided, a member of our Customer Services team will use this to validate the data.
- Please note that if the data cannot be validated, domain names will be suspended.
We will not delete domain names suspended for poor quality. They can either be renewed through the normal process or will be deleted in the usual way approximately 90 days after expiry.
Any communications with registrants will also be sent to their registrar.
Accredited Channel Partner tags
Non-validated data submitted through Accredited Channel Partner tags and manually classified as most likely to be inaccurate, will trigger a notification to be sent to the registrar.
One of the following actions will then be required from the registrar:
- Working with the registrant the data could be corrected or updated. Where a registrar supplies updated or corrected data to Nominet this will be re-submitted for validation.
- The data could be validated through the registrar’s auditable validation process. You may choose to confirm to us that you have been successful in your validation. This will result in the WHOIS entryshowing as ‘validated’ immediately, rather than ‘awaiting validation’ for 30 days. Please see EPPfor instructions on how to positively validate your data. Where validation is not possible a data quality lock should be placed on the domain name
- Accredited Channel Partners have the optional facility to delete domain names suspended for poor data quality. Please see EPP instructions for details on how to do this. You can also perform this function through the Web Domain Manager. Please note that domain names with a data quality lock can be renewed in the usual way, deleted by the registrar or deleted by us in the usual way approximately 90 days after expiry.
Where data is updated by Nominet and is then subsequently validated, a notification can be received by the registrar. You can select to receive this notification by logging into your Online Services account and setting your notification preferences accordingly.
Source : http://registrars.nominet.uk/namespace/uk/data-quality/data-validation-process
