Domain Privacy
Domain Privacy is a service provided registrars that prevents registrants' information from being listed in the WHOIS database. Registrars most commonly provide anonymity to the registrant by registering domains by proxy, listing the companies details in the WHOIS and providing a forwarding service.
ICANN requires that each registered domain provides identifying and contact information, including name, address, email, phone numbers and administrative and technical contents.[1]Proxy services enable registrants' to meet this requirement and maintain anonymity.
ICANN Requirements
Up until the 2013, privacy and proxy services fell outside the scope of the Registry Accreditation Agreements (RAA). The 2001 and 2009 RAAs
The 2013 RAA requires that privacy and proxy service providers:
- Disclose service term (including pricing), on its website and abide by such terms;
- Publish an abuse/infringement point of contact;
- Disclose the business contact information on its website and/or registrar's website;
- Publish and abide by terms of service and description of procedures on its website and/or registrar's website, such as handling of abuse or trademark infringement reports, communication handling, conditions of ending service, Whois data publication conditions, and access to support services.[2]
Origin of Private Domain Services
The public WHOIS database was created so that parties of domain related disputes could be identified. However, the database naturally attracts data miners, that use the listed information for illegal or unethical purposes. Registering a domain by proxy prevents registrants' information from being subject to scammers, spammers, telemarketers, and other questionable practices.[3]