How Much Does Domain Privacy Protection Protect Site Owners
It depends on what you are trying to protect and who you are trying to protect it from. As mentioned, WHOIS will stop automated address harvesters from getting their hands on your details, but a focused attacker would find indirect ways to ascertain who the real owner is.
Lets imagine you run a business. If your business address is already listed on your website, theres no need to hide your details from the Whois database, as its already out there for anyone to find.
If you run a blog about your family life that you share with people all over the world, you will most likely want to keep your address hidden, and need privacy protection for your domain name to achieve this. Given that with Namecheap, domain privacy costs nothing, its worth having for peace of mind.
Godaddy Vs Google Domains
If you only want to talk about price then GoDaddy certainly cant compete, including the fact that they both offer excellent customer support and dozens of add-ons.
But GoDaddy offers some creative domain names if that is what you want. For example, if youre in a musical/dance group, then you can use a unique .band or .dance domain name. Only available at GoDaddys.
Another major difference would be the domain selection. Google Domain offers 272 while GoDaddy has 644 which is more than twice the number.
But again, more always doesnt mean better. Google Domains has better security measures.
If youd like to learn more, we have an entire article on or if your final consensus is neither then we have GoDaddy Alternatives too.
What Is Private Domain Name Registration
The WHOIS database includes contact details for the owners of all domains. It is used by domain name providers to verify transfers, by companies looking for whether a name is available and by law-enforcement bodies but is also viewable by members of the general public.
When registering domain names you acknowledge by agreeing to a registrar’s terms and conditions and applicable policies to inclusion of your details.
.com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .asn.au, .id.au
Viewable details: domain name, registrant name and identifier , contact name, email address. In line with Australian privacy legislation the street address, telephone and facsimile numbers of registrants are not disclosed.
.com, .net, .org, .info, .biz
It is a requirement of ICANN that every domain owner has accurate, up-to-date full contact details available.
Viewable details: domain name, registrant name and identifier , contact name, contact address, email address, telephone number.
Private Registration
Private Registration is a new service offered to shield your Registrant Contact Information. It means the contact information displayed in the public WHOIS database for your domains is replaced by Registrar details.
How Private Registration works
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Differences Between Public And Private Domain Registration
When setting up a new website you have to register your domain with the ICANN or Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. This is a non-profit organization which manages domain names. Your domain name, your personal information is published in the WHOIS Public Internet Directory which can be viewed by anyone at any time. This is required by the ICANN as part of the domain name registration process. Once your website is up and running you have the option of registering the domain as either public or private.
If you decide to go with public domain, your information will be available for everyone through WHOIS that means that your name, address, e-mail address, phone number all will be in the eye of the public. However when you choose a private domain, your information will be protected, it will cost you a bit more but everything regarding your personal information will remain private. Private domain registration can mitigate your concerns by ensuring that anyone who decides to check domain names for criminal purposes will find only the name of your proxy service. At DomainsAtCost you will find many advantages of private registration, for a small yearly fee, private domain registration delivers benefits that pay off.
Faqs On Private Domain Registration
How do I know my identity is protected?
You know your identity is protected because your personal information is not published in the WHOIS database. Instead, Web.com’s name, address and phone number are made publicly available. You prevent spammers, scammers, and prying eyes, and avoid exposure to spam, fraud, or possible identity theft. We won’t reveal your identity unless required by law or if you breach our Web.com Service Agreement.
What extensions can I privately register?
Almost all domain extensions are eligible, only a few are not due to governmental regulations.
Those are: .AC, .AM, .ASIA, .AT, .BAYERN, .BE, .BERLIN, .BR.COM, .BZ, .CA, .CH, .CO.NZ, .CX, .DE, .ES, .EU, .FM, .GS, .HAMBURG, .IM, .IO, .JP, .LA, .LI, .MS, .NAME, .NET.NZ, .NL, .NYC, .ORG.NZ, .ORGANIC, .PRO, .RU.COM, .RUHR, .SA.COM, .SE.NET, .SH, .SYDNEY, .TW, .UK.COM, .UK.NET, .US, .VOTE, and .VOTO
If you are interested in purchasing private domain name registration services for a new or existing domain name, please visit Web.com.
What kind of information can I manage on my private domain?
Must I provide valid contact information for a private domain registration?
Yes. When you purchase a domain name you must include accurate and updated information for all of your contacts , regardless of whether you choose to make it a “private” or “public” registration. This is the only way Web.com can reach you with issues concerning your domain and our private registration services.
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For All The Benefits You Get Its Cheap
Maybe none of these benefits would be worth it if they came with a hefty price tag, but you dont have to spend hundreds of dollars to increase privacy and reduce spam.
Domain privacy protection is very affordable, considering the benefits. At around $15 a year, you can keep yourself and your brand safer, while saving yourself the annoyance of more unnecessary contact attempts from spammers. Thats probably less than you spent the last time you went out to eat.
Is Domain Privacy Protection Available For Every Domain
Not every domain can get privacy protection it depends on the top-level domain you use.
Domain name privacy is usually available for most common top-level domains, such as .com, .net, .org, and .co. However, you might find that its not available for TLDs such as .mobi, .asia, .istanbul, and .space.
This is because some registrars dont allow the service due to some of their rules and regulations.
For the complete list of TLDs that cant be protected, check our guide on how to enable WHOIS privacy protection.
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How Do I Enable Domain Name Privacy For My Website
Enabling domain name privacy is usually not something done on your website, per se. Your domain registration information is made available in the WHOIS directory, which is run by ICANN and tracks domain ownership across the web.
To enable domain name privacy, you will need to go through your hosting service or registrar. This option is usually presented during the purchase of the domain, but it can often be added after the fact.
The process will differ depending on the company you use, but it is usually as simple as checking a box or paying for the private registration add-on.
If you are having difficulty finding this option from your hosting dashboard or registrars website, you can always contact them to see if they offer this service. If they do not, you may be able to use another companys privacy service, though this could require transferring your domain to that company.
The Benefits Of Whois Protection
If youre considering whether private domain registration is worth it, lets go over the reasons why you benefit.
1. Protect your personal information
Identity theft is a serious problem online, and personal information is needed when registering a domain name. If someone were to gain access to this data, it could cause serious problems for you or your business. Whois protection conceals this information. Domain privacy is necessary to help prevent your data from getting into the wrong hands.
2. Prevent unsolicited marketing outreach
Listing your contact information alongside your domain invites unwanted attention from salespeople, spammers, telemarketers, and fraudsters. Some individuals scan the Whois database for contact information, trawling newly registered websites in particular. Soon after registration you may be targeted with emails and calls about trying to offer online marketing, SEO, making domain privacy protection worth getting just to avoid such communications!
3. Minimize spam
Private registration for a domain name is necessary if you want to protect your email, and cut down on unsolicited emails from spammers. Your domain registrar will include an alias email in place of your own within the Whois database cutting down the likelihood of phishing emails. Such phishing emails wont reach your true email if you use domain privacy protection.
4. Greater control over your personal information
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Can I Add Privacy To An Existing Domain
If you have already registered your domain with your personal information, dont fret! Usually, you can still apply privacy settings to hide that data.
To do this, check your host dashboard or contact your registrar to request this service. In most cases, your data can be kept private and replaced with a generic placeholder for a nominal fee.
In short, if you wish you had registered privately in the first place, you can still add that privacy now. There is little reason not to, as it could save you from some major headaches in the future.
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What Is Domain Privacy Do You Really Need Private Registration
You are required to provide current contact info with your domain registration. But do you have to share it with the world?
No not if youre smart about it.
When you register a domain name, youre required to provide contact details including your name, physical address, e-mail address and telephone number. ICANN collects that information and displays it in a public directory.
Needless to say, one shouldnt leave all that info hanging out for public consumption.
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Is Domain Privacy Worth It
Every website starts with a name. Before you get to have some fun building a website, youll first need to find the perfect domain name for it, or something as close to perfect as circumstances allow. When you purchase the name from a domain registrar, youre asked to register using your personal information.
Normally, once a domain is registered, the information of the owner your information is listed in the WHOIS database. However, not everyone likes to have their information available to the public, as this can have some downsides like receiving spam, or in the worst-case scenario, even identity theft . Thats why some people choose to get private domain registration, as it allows you to protect your personal details from the public.
But what exactly is private domain registration, and do you really need domain privacy? Well go over the differences between private and public domain registration so that you can decide for yourself if domain privacy is worth it. Well also cover how you can try to find out who owns a private domain, even if the information provided in the WHOIS database is limited.
Is Private Domain Registration Worth It
A private registration domain is most certainly worth it if you wish to increase anonymity on the web and operate a website with an extra layer of security. Having the option of hiding your personal contact details will help you to concentrate on building your business without having to deal with mountains of spam email or other unsolicited contact. Online threats may also be reduced as hackers will not be able to access your personal details.
A private domain is also worth it if you currently use one of the supported TLDs which are: .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .mobi, .name, .cc, .tv, .mx, and .com.mx. If your website is already associated with one of these domains, then transferring to a private domain registration on renewal is simple. All you need to do is access the IONOS Control Panel and click the “manage domains” tab. From here you can follow the “edit domain settings” link and proceed to update your settings. Once you have selected the “private” option, please wait around 24 hours until WHOIS updates the information in its database.
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Domain Privacy Protection Means Less Spam
How many times a day do you get phone calls from unidentified numbers? How about emails selling products youd never dream of buying at allmuch less from a cold email? Spam is an unfortunate part of life.
Its bad enough without putting your email address and phone number out there where anyone can find it. Listing your contact information in the WHOIS database basically guarantees that youll see an uptick in spam calls and emails. It makes you an easy target.
And while there are certainly worse things in the world than spam, who wants to spend their time deleting spam emails or fielding robo-calls? Domain privacy protection may not keep you from dealing with any spam, but it means getting a lot less of it.
Why Should You Keep Domain Registration Private
Domain registration requires personal information that should often be kept private. If you wouldnt post your name, address, and phone number on a billboard, you probably dont want it available to everyone on the internet.
One of the most common reasons for private domain registration is to avoid spam, identity theft, and harassment. Unfortunately, these days, having your contact details publicly available online puts you at risk of unwanted communication.
While the personal information provided isnt incredibly sensitive, it could still be used nefariously. For example, with your name, email address, and website information, someone could easily send emails from a fake account similar to yours and pretend to be you. They could use this to phish for account information of your users and compromise your sites security.
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Gdpr And Other Protections Change The Environment
Recent high profile incidents of data hacking highlight the importance of hiding personal information from public access on the internet. Those incidents and other events that involve the misuse of sensitive personal data have led to the creation of a number of new data privacy regulations that aim to give internet users more control over personal data and how it can be used.
In the spring of 2018, the European Union implemented a sweeping set of data privacy regulations collectively called the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. This law has now become the primary means of protecting the personal data of EU citizens in online environments around the world, and companies and other entities that fail to comply can be subject to stiff fines and penalties. Within the EU, some countries, like Germany, have even stiffer laws.
The GDPR isnt limited to regulating the use and availability of personal data solely in the EU. Because the internet is a global network, any website that could be used by EU citizens anywhere in the world becomes subject to the provisions of the GDPR. This includes Whois and other ICANN certified databases for registering websites and IP addresses.