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Domain Name Registration and Privacy


The internet is a wonderful thing, except for a few small details. When you register your first domain name, you get your introduction to one of them. There's a lot of information they want. Your name, your email address, your physical address, your phone number. For each of 4 separate categories, and the Registrant, Admin and Technical categories are publicly available (for almost all TLDs - Top Level Domains, with the possible exception of .ws - Western Samoa).

Email addresses, which must be valid, phone numbers and physical addresses which also must be valid. I personally think it's both absurd and dangerous to make this information so easily available. Once again the right to privacy of law-abiding individuals is being abridged supposedly to help catch lawbreakers. Since this information would be provided under a court order, making it publicly available just invites abuse.

Spammers, scammers, stalkers and the idle whacko can easily get this information. And it's a nice start on identity theft, too. However, for most people, the most likely result is an increase in the amount of spam you get. But, much worse can and has happened.

So what solutions are there? Basically there two ways to protect yourprivacy if you are a private individual without access to a legal entity such as a company to own the domain name (note that if it is a company, you must provide accurate information. This only moves the problem to a slightly less personal level).

First you could lie. No, that's not one of the ways. Unwise and illegal too, and you are a law-abiding type, right? So, first, a proxy registration is one alternative.

Essentially you make a binding legal agreement with a company which will register the domain name as if they owned it and then provide their own information to meet the requirements. For each domain, they will set-up a special email which they will monitor and forward to you, usually after spam filtering, if you want them to.

They, of course, retain your data and will also monitor physical mail. You will be notified of first class mail which appears to or could be legal documents or if registered or couriered mail arrives. They will, for a fee, ship such to you, if you agree and pay. Generally such items would be sent by courier. Phone callers will be directed to use the email or physical address shown in the WhoIs record

Of course, under subpoena or other specified conditions they will provide your details. You will have full rights as owner - as long as you behave and don't violate the agreement.

The other alternative, usually called "private registration", is a little different. Here your name would still appear as registrant. You would provide the names of the admin and technical contacts. But the address, email and phone number would be provided and monitored by the organization handling the private registration in essentially the same manner as a proxy registration. Thus with this alternative you remain in full legal control of your domain name since it is registered in your name rather than the name of a proxy.

On the face of it this second alternative sounds better, but your name is hanging out there on view and you may have valid reasons for not wanting that (perhaps the company you work for takes a dim view of moonlighting, or you have had a stalking problem or are doing something perfectly legitimate but don't want your name linked to it).In that case, a proxy registration is the only real alternative.

In case you're thinking you can hide out and do whatever sort of bad stuff behind a proxy or private registration, don't even dream about it. These outfits take it very personally if you misbehave and the legal agreements spell it out.

If you decide to pursue a proxy or private registration, make very sure that you are working with a legitimate company with a track record. A domain name can be a very valuable possession. Both your registrar and, if it's a separate organization, the entity that does the proxy or private registration must be quality, legitimate outfits. Registrars offering extremely low prices which are way out of line with the going rates - unless it's a special - just might be after your credit card and identity. Also, this time, actually read the agreement and TOS so you do know what you're doing and what could happen under what circumstances.

Wondering why I'm writing about this? Well, it's because I'm getting more and more spam and I started doing some research on possible solutions. And I figured, I wan't the only one looking to do something about the problem. And then, I discovered that some registrars will provide free proxy or private registration with your domain name purchase. So think about it and do some checking before you buy a domain name. Your privacy is a precious possession.

Copyright 2005 Richard Keir

Richard teaches, trains and consults, on and off-line. And he writes a lot. Visit http://www.AboutWebHosting.info for articles, information, resources and links related to web hosting and domain registration and http://www.Building-eCommerce-Websites for more on eCommerce in particular.


MORE RESOURCES:

Domain Names - Google News

What's in a name? The value of a domain - Easier (press release)


What's in a name? The value of a domain
Easier (press release)
Thomas Darré Medard Frederiksen, COO at One.com discusses the value of a domain and offers some tips on selecting the best domain name for your business. In the internet age, many customers' first interaction with your business will be online.

Group looks for help in evaluating new domain names - The Hill (blog)


TheHostingNews.com

Group looks for help in evaluating new domain names
The Hill (blog)
By Brendan Sasso - 02/08/12 11:12 AM ET The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) asked for volunteers on Tuesday to help evaluate whether applicants for new Web domain endings should qualify for a reduced application fee.
ICANN Seeks Volunteers for TLD EvaluationsTheHostingNews.com (press release)
Defending trademarks on the internet: new generic top-level domains present ...Lexology (registration)

all 4 news articles »

DealDash buys defunct Swoopo.com domain name (and 22 other end user sales) - Domain Name Wire


DealDash buys defunct Swoopo.com domain name (and 22 other end user sales)
Domain Name Wire
Register your domain names with Searchen Networks Inc., Check domain name availability. Search for domain names. Domain Name Wire is the Domain Name Industry's News Source. Remember Swoopo.com, the auction site where you had to pay for each bid?

and more »

University of Hawaii urges state lawmakers to deter fraudulent use of domain names - The Republic


University of Hawaii urges state lawmakers to deter fraudulent use of domain names
The Republic
She explains that UH has been victimized by unknown attackers who have been maliciously using the domain name to misrepresent the state institution. Greenwood's written testimony asks the committee to consider amending the bill to include fraudulent ...

and more »

UC Berkeley spends $1300 to purchase x-rated domain names - Daily Californian


UC Berkeley spends $1300 to purchase x-rated domain names
Daily Californian
By Chloe Hunt UC Berkeley may be known for its academics, athletics and the occasional protest, but the campus administration has paid about $1300 thus far to stop pornographic websites from buying .xxx domain names associated with the campus.

Hey NAF, this is a classic example of reverse domain hijacking - Domain Name Wire


Hey NAF, this is a classic example of reverse domain hijacking
Domain Name Wire
Register your domain names with Searchen Networks Inc., Check domain name availability. Search for domain names. Domain Name Wire is the Domain Name Industry's News Source. Respondent wins but should have gotten more than that.

and more »

Did You Sell Any Go Daddy Premium Domain Names During the Super Bowl? - Elliot's Blog (blog)


Opposing Views

Did You Sell Any Go Daddy Premium Domain Names During the Super Bowl?
Elliot's Blog (blog)
Domain Name News reported that Go Daddy planned to have their premium listings appear during the Super Bowl. This was big news because GoDaddy spent upwards of $10 million producing and airing its two Super Bowl commercials, and as a result, ...
Godaddy Set Sales Record For Super Bowl SundayTheDomains.com
2012 Super Bowl Commercials: GoDaddy, Danica Patrick Sell Domain NamesOpposing Views
Innovative Super Bowl 1st Caps a Record Go Daddy PerformanceEON: Enhanced Online News (press release)
Domain Name News
all 54 news articles »

6 questions about DOMAINfest answered - Domain Name Wire


6 questions about DOMAINfest answered
Domain Name Wire
Register your domain names with Searchen Networks Inc., Check domain name availability. Search for domain names. Domain Name Wire is the Domain Name Industry's News Source. A look back at last week's DOMAINfest conference. Before heading to DOMAINfest ...

and more »

Letters: Internet domain names can confuse consumers - USA TODAY


USA TODAY

Letters: Internet domain names can confuse consumers
USA TODAY
I agree with USA TODAY's editorial on the problems with the expansion of the Internet domain name suffixes by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("Editorial: ICANN expanding websites to 1000 dot-anythings").
ICANN Wants YouNational Journal
Corporation Service Company Advises Organizations That New Generic Top-Level ...MarketWatch (press release)
Volunteers Sought to Help Evaluate Generic Top-Level Domain Applicants Seeking ...San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
BtoB Magazine -Lexology (registration)
all 18 news articles »

U. buys .xxx domain names in preventative move - The Brown Daily Herald


U. buys .xxx domain names in preventative move
The Brown Daily Herald
By Meia Geddes The University bought two domain names to avoid association with adult content, but brownuniversity.xxx had already been purchased. Students surfing the Internet for adult content will not find it on brownu.xxx or brownuniv.xxx — the ...

and more »

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