What will change with ICANN’s new transfer policy?

According to ICANN’s regulations (Internet Corporation of Assigned Names & Numbers) which come into effect on December 1, 2016, implementation of a new transfer policy is mandatory for all ICANN accredited registrars like Papaki. To ensure that we offer you the most proper and efficient service, always in accordance with the ICANN regulations, we have updated our terms of use. 
What changes in simple words: 

Basically, in legal terms, the process of changing ownership of a domain name now passes under the domain transfer policy, known as change of registrar. This means that from 01/12/2016 whenever someone makes a change, large or small, to the owner’s information and more specifically first name, last name, company name and email, the transfer policy is activated sending a series of approval and confirmation emails in order to complete the process successfully. 

Case 1. 

At this point we need to emphasize that even correcting a simple spelling mistake in the owner's name activates this policy. That leads to sending two emails to the same owner’s email, which the customer should identify, open in the right order and approve the action twice. When the process is completed, two more confirmation emails will be sent while the domain will be locked for 60 days.

Papaki’s approach 

Following the steps of the biggest accredited registrars in the world, Papaki will use the alternative option of the "Designated Agent" (or else "DA") provided by the new ICANN's policy. Our goal is:

• to automate the new confirmation process for our customers, so that they will not need to make extra unnecessary steps.
• to be aligned with ICANN’s regulations using the "DA” and the option not to lock the domain for 60 days after every change.
• to ensure that our customers will continue to securely make changes through their account at Papaki as before.

The new policy states: "1.2 "Designated Agent” means an individual or entity that the Prior Registrant or New Registrant explicitly authorizes to approve a Change of Registrant on its behalf.” 

Basically, the domain owner allows the "Designated Agent” to confirm the changes in the owner’s information (first name, last name, company name, email) on their behalf. 

Case 2 using the DA 

The domain owner makes a change in the owner’s information: 

1. The DA approves the change
2. The new owner receives an email to confirm the Whois information and confirms his data
3. The old and new owner receive an email to be informed that the change completed successfully

In order to be able to operate as a "Designated Agent" we have updated our Terms of Use with the following text, which binds Papaki to correctly follow the new policy with respect to the new rules and all involved parties, ICANN and domain owners.

"Registrant explicitly authorizes Papaki, Tucows, Openprovider or Enom, depending on under which accreditation the domain name has been registered, to act as their Designated Agent, as stipulated by the ICANN Transfer Policy, to approve a Change of Registrant on their behalf." 

The above text is included in the registration agreement, link of which you will be able to find in the 4.1 of Papaki’s Terms and Conditions, as well as in the article 13.5 of Papaki's Terms and Conditions.