Do you own a domain name or two (or more)? Do you know about the WHOIS database that maintains owner and contact information for domains?? Do you know why the WHOIS database exists (at least in its original purpose)??? If so, WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT WHOIS PRIVACY!?!?!

This “service” completely defeats the purpose of WHOIS

Every time I renew my domains, my registrar tries to sell me WHOIS PRIVACY. They claim it protects me from spam – it does not. Using custom email addresses in my WHOIS records, I know if spam is being sent to the contact email address in my WHOIS record. I get so little spam at those email addresses, it completely nullifies any argument a registrar will try to give you that privacy will prevent spam!!

For years now, ICANN has allowed domain registrars to provide a service to hide WHOIS details under the guise of protecting the privacy of the domain owner. These registrars make shitloads of money selling this service which is in direct contradiction to the Domain Registrars’ agreements with ICANN, yet money talks! But no one forces you to sign up for this bogus domain privacy “service” – SO DON’T!

Think about it… if your server gets hacked, how is someone going to find your contact information to let you know about the hack? (especially when the hackers have removed all of your web site’s content!?) A proper WHOIS record with correct and up to date contact information is the only way to make sure someone can contact you swiftly and let you know if your server has been hacked or your web site altered. Maybe your server was hijacked and being use to send out spam. Your ISP may not be so understanding when you tell them “I didn’t know my server was hacked”. Give people the proper tools to contact you for any legitimate reason relating to your domain.

P.S. If you don’t want to use your regular email address in the WHOIS record, just set up an alternate email address and forward it to your regular email address. Also, I don’t recommend you use a Gmail account (or other “free” service email address) because they will filter emails that they deem something looks like spam or phishing. If someone is using your domain name in their phishing URL and it gets reported to Google before you, your “free” account will have it blocked before you ever get a chance to see it. Bad abuse contacts and abuse mailboxes with spam and other content filtering defeats the purpose of having an abuse contact.

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