Google’s domain name registry is showing limited data for Whois records.
We’re just weeks away from domain name registrars and registries beginning to obscure Whois records to comply with their interpretation of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). One major ICANN-regulated registry has already changed the Whois records it displays on thick Whois records: Google.
Sometime last month, the registry began showing only information that probably isn’t deemed personal: State, Country, and Organization Name.
Here’s an example from a .app domain I just registered:
Note how limited this record is. If I registered this domain under my personal name the only data related to me is the state and country.
There’s no email address and no way for people to contact me about this domain name.
Google has not yet truncated Whois records at its registrar.
Josh says
Curious Andrew, is there or will there be a way to contact the owner via a site/link, kind of likened to the dot ca contact form for private whois? For example CIRA offers a contact owner where you can type in the name and write a message which is then delivered to the registrant. Any talks about this being available in the future or already available?
Andrew Allemann says
Still up in the air. It’s possible many registrars will cloak email addresses in Whois and forward these to you. That also resolves the problem of not being able to transfer a domain name when there is no email in Whois.
Frank Michlick says
The registry cannot necessarily offer this functionality, as the registrars may not be passing on all of that information to them.
Jamie Zoch says
Can you turn your Organization name into an email? Instead of Brainstorm Labs, LLC, can you put: MyEmailHere @ Domain Here .com ?
Aaron Strong says
I can confirm that idea is working on a newly registered .app…..Thanks for the tip!
Andrew Allemann says
Perhaps. I don’t know of any filters that would catch that.
BattlefieldGoddess says
@Josh – Maybe.
ICA ninja, Zak Muscovitch, is working to keep some access to Whois & to explore alternatives like contact forms, anonymized emails, etc.
Anyone concerned about losing all access to Whois should reach out to Zak to support his suggestions to ICANN.
inteldigitallimited says
Guys, we don’t want to start using email addresses as organisation names. The data quality of WHOIS will immediately drop. I’m sure, you can opt in to display some information. Can you not?
Rubens Kuhl says
Not all registrars and registries have opt-in mechanisms ready at this point. They will have at some point.
Perhaps using a more descriptive Organization Name ?
Organization: My Company, LLC (E-mail [email protected])
Andrew Allemann says
But won’t the data quality essentially be worthless after it’s restricted?
Rubens Kuhl says
If you are voluntary providing an e-mail address in order to get business, the data quality is assured by personal interest…
Michael Anthony Castello says
Place your information and create a Whois.txt file in your root directory. Place a Whois link at the bottom of your page. I’ve been doing that to my websites like Daycare.com. Let’s start creating for the impulse for people to use your domains to find you.
Ajaykumar says
I like
Ajaykumar says
Whois
joesaba2014 says
This is a varvarity of the EU for many years that should be done since data protection is a business of all countries in the world.
domaintracking.org says
It only matters for EU citizen’s data.