Why should we pay for WhoIS guard?

[bandboy]

I usually purchase domains every few days for my assignments and have many times wondered, why should we pay for WhoIS guard?

We purchase web hosting, do web hosts make visible client's details? Are client's details visible to anyone other than company employees?

We purchase scripts, do script authors share our details with any one? Does it any where say that script was purchased by Mr.ABC, email address abc@abcd123.com with residential address?

Now my question is that when we purchase domains, is it not responsibility of the registrar to secure our personal information? I intend to raise finger on ICANN as well? Is it not the responsibility of company to secure personal and vital details of its clients? If so then why is such information visible to any one so easily? Why should my residential adress, my email address and my telephone number be visible to any one when i buy a domain? Am i paying to get my personal information be visible to people? Is whoIS a tool to make money?

ICANN and registrars are they not liable to protect vital information of their clients?

It has always puzzled me. What do you think on this issue?
We pay for domains, but then why should our vital details be leaked out to any one? Why should we pay for registrar to secure our vital information?

WhoIS should be free and be there as a default. It is no body's business to know my residential address or telephone number, besides email address, so why is it visible?

If ICANN requires it to be visible, don't you think it is wrong? Also, then how does WHoIS protection fulfill ICANN's requirement of having such details visible?

Any one can have false information behind WhoIS? Now why would any one do so is a puzzle for many but then why does ICANN or registrars create a situation where a person is forced to provide false details?

I have started to feel all this is sketchy. Some thing that should be visible to any one by default is now being charged for by the companies whoi at one hand boast of privacy policy and at other hand can't protect privacy of a customer who doesn't pay for whois.

Is it time for ICANN and registrars to re-think?

 

[othellotech]

I usually purchase domains every few days for my assignments and have many times wondered, why should we pay for WhoIS guard?

You shouldn't, neither should you be trying to hide the ownership details from the public database

Land registry details of who owns property is public.

Business registration details are public.

Why shoudlnt the whois details be open ?

 

[ldcdc]

Now why would any one do so is a puzzle for many but then why does ICANN or registrars create a situation where a person is forced to provide false details?

You're not forced. Not everyone has to work online and register domains. You're free to choose your own career.

Providing false whois info can result in losing the domain. By registering the domain, you agree to provide accurate info.

 

[Artashes]

I have personally dealt with someone who I sold the domain to who clearly used false Whois data. No one has a phone number like 555-555-5555. But it wasn't my business nor responsibility to control someone else's business or teach someone how to conduct themselves. Everyone should take responsibility for their own actions.

As far as Whois information, I believe the guard feature is optional. But perhaps I didn't quite understand the question.

Best,

 

[Marks]

I don't agree with WHOISGuard. I think it's a way for Scammers to hide their identity and for Registrars to make more money.

 

[othellotech]

Providing false whois info can result in losing the domain. By registering the domain, you agree to provide accurate info.

Its going to cost a lot of people their domains with the RegFly fiasco - people who used fake details cant be contactd by ICANN about their domain, and will lose it.

 

[bandboy]

You shouldn't, neither should you be trying to hide the ownership details from the public database

Why shoudlnt the whois details be open ?

It is not about ownership details. It is about personal details. As far as it tells you who owns the domain and their email address, it is fine, but when it starts displaying your tel and address, thats where the problem arises. Now as far as it is an enterprise, thats understandeable but what about a normal net user who wishes to own the domain but not let their residential address or telephone number visible to public?

Think about it. I have no problems with informatino like who owns the domain, ownership details to the extent of email are fine, but why should other details be visible? Atleast i don't expect any one to walk down my house, say hello and discuss domain sale. Neither do i wish any advertiser to keep calling me on my personal number for car loans or bank loans. Now many of you would be suggesting getting registered with DND (Do Not Disturb) service, but then does ICANN maintain any such list for global consumers or does every country have such registry where people are not spammed thru tele marketing?

You're not forced. Not everyone has to work online and register domains. You're free to choose your own career.

Providing false whois info can result in losing the domain. By registering the domain, you agree to provide accurate info.

Yes, i know what it states in TOS on purchase of a domain. Practically, if someone registers domains for themselves and is not running a company, their details are visible through Adminstrative, Billing contacts. What i am for is display of ownership and atmost the email address, but i am against display of address and telephone number.

Your point is valid but there there are a significant number of people who register domains for non-commercial reasons and thats when display of information for admin or billing contact become a problem.

I have personally dealt with someone who I sold the domain to who clearly used false Whois data. No one has a phone number like 555-555-5555. But it wasn't my business nor responsibility to control someone else's business or teach someone how to conduct themselves. Everyone should take responsibility for their own actions.

As far as Whois information, I believe the guard feature is optional. But perhaps I didn't quite understand the question.

Best,

Don't bother I don't think i clarified myself or may be we are too obsessed with what ICANN states. I am in a way arguing over the existence of iCANN rule which forcibly displays information other than ownership and their email address. I am questioning logic of displaying address and telephone number. This could be made optional, like those who want can have it displayed and those who don't, let them have it protected but AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. WhoIS guard is rubbish atleast when registrars charge for it. The very purpose of ICANN rule is lost once it is whois guard protected.

To have it straight, lets consider domain hostingdiscussion.com . People can do whis and see you hold it. Fine, they see your email address. But whats the purpose of displaying your address or telephone number? Now you may a company or running a company so thats an advertisement for you, but suppose its my domain and used for personal reasons or just to share with few friend, then display of address and telephone number really makes no sense to me. So, i get it protected by whoisguard and pay registrar half the price of domain. Now has it not sublimed ICANN's rule?
Once i pay them small fee, i can get it hidden, displaying wrong info, because registrant and other details are not mine, but of registrar, atleast for general public doing whois. How do you justify ICANN's rule now?

This is what i am trying to discuss here. If a rule from ICANN can be sublimed by paying for whois guard, then how good is the rule? Is that not ICANN playing into hands of registrars or giving registrars loop hole to make money?
If rule demands nformation to extent of address and telephone nubmer be displayed, then is whoisguard not violating the rule by displaying wrong details or hiding true details?
So, you can pay and break rules?

I don't agree with WHOISGuard. I think it's a way for Scammers to hide their identity and for Registrars to make more money.

Me neither to an extent. Not every one who hides their details is a scammer. But then whoisguard gives you escape route from ICANN rule where you need to display name, tel, address, email of domain holder/manager. Again thats the crux of the discussion.

Its going to cost a lot of people their domains with the RegFly fiasco - people who used fake details cant be contactd by ICANN about their domain, and will lose it.

Don't trouble yourself, my friend. If they have whoisguard protection, chances are minimal, because most when they have protection, do furnish correct details because they know its not going to get displayed publically. So, chances are that only true idiots who furnish wrong info even after getting details hidden, will loose domains. But then don't presume ICANN is not aware of it. Just need to see it getting implemented, atleast on massive level.

 

[Harry]

I think you SHOULD be allowed to have "some" privacy. Look at cell phones, usually it will show Private for the name, but still show the number. I think the WHOIS should be more in that style.

Then again, MANY bots go through WHOIS entries and record your information down. Next thing you know, you have flyers sent to you, phone calls from companies, emails from spammers.

 

[shanee86]

Some people pay for it because they don't want people to know there address and phone number. I don't use it but I can see why some people do.

 

[Harry]

Well as far as I know, even phone companies do the same. They CHARGE extra to hide your number eg. Blocked Caller.

So I can see WHY registrars charge, while at the same time, I can see them thinking.."Hey! this is a good oppertunity to make more off customers!"

 

[bandboy]

Ironically, they charge half the price of domain or atleast close to that amount for privacy protection. It is just another tool to make money for registrars.

 

[Dev4vip]

Whois guard or Pvt Registration is a Free service where some domain registrars provide it for free and others use it to generate an extra income as a backend product

 

[webfreak08]

Whois guard or Pvt Registration is a Free service where some domain registrars provide it for free and others use it to generate an extra income as a backend product

Let's say you ran a registrar that managed 250,000 domains and that you offer private registration for free because you think other registrars are ripping off consumers.

Out of those 250,000 domains, let's assume 200,000 are "private registrations", where the domain owner does not have his or her contact information available in the whois database.

Now, one of those domains which are private registrations are registered by a cybersquatter and a court order demands you release the registrant info of that domain. Such an event happens several times during the year and you are frustrated that you must waste resources dealing with private registrations instead of supporting your customers.

Do you charge extra and hire more people to handle such claims or just eat the cost (and infuriate your customers due to the lack of support) because you're a nice guy?

 

[ANMMark]

The thing is, all of the information that can be obtained from a whois search, can also be obtained freely elsewhere.

It's not a matter of someone doing a whois to find out your info, a whois is used to determine who owns the domain, period. Like I said, the information contained in a whois is information that is typically publicly available elsewhere anyway.

Now in regards to them doing it just to make money.....indeed. However, what's wrong with that? That's what business is about...making money. Just as you are in business to make money, and find ways to make more, they do to. That's a healthy business in fact. You recognize a need, then you fullfill it.

Keep in mind that there are quite a few free hosting providers. Does that mean you're a bad person or business for charging for hosting?

 

[Dev4vip]

Now, one of those domains which are private registrations are registered by a cybersquatter and a court order demands you release the registrant info of that domain. Such an event happens several times during the year and you are frustrated that you must waste resources dealing with private registrations instead of supporting your customers.

Do you charge extra and hire more people to handle such claims or just eat the cost (and infuriate your customers due to the lack of support) because you're a nice guy?

If you have a proper data base of your clients with backups with accurate contact details, and if your serious abt your business, and Retrieving the data for any legal issues is not a big deal, and it won't take a whole staff or have to spend a fortune to get the job done, instead you can get the relevant data in just a click of a button in less than a minute, but if you keep book/file records like in old days in long shelves of files, then ofcourse it will take more time and effort, but we have passd that day and age arent we ?

 

[webfreak08]

If you have a proper data base of your clients with backups with accurate contact details, and if your serious abt your business, and Retrieving the data for any legal issues is not a big deal, and it won't take a whole staff or have to spend a fortune to get the job done, instead you can get the relevant data in just a click of a button in less than a minute

Can you provide such an infrastructure for free?

 

[Blue]

Well as far as I know, even phone companies do the same. They CHARGE extra to hide your number eg. Blocked Caller.

So I can see WHY registrars charge, while at the same time, I can see them thinking.."Hey! this is a good oppertunity to make more off customers!"

Can you name a single business that does not do the same?
They are providing a service they have no obligation to provide.

Isn't the whole escense of being in business to make money?

 

[Dev4vip]

Now in regards to them doing it just to make money.....indeed. However, what's wrong with that? That's what business is about...making money. Just as you are in business to make money, and find ways to make more, they do to. That's a healthy business in fact. You recognize a need, then you fullfill it.

Keep in mind that there are quite a few free hosting providers. Does that mean you're a bad person or business for charging for hosting?

You cannot make a business out of everything my dear friend coz there are moral and ethical values in this world, How would you feel if someone using your personal information to make a quick buck..? Ru ok with that? I wont Maybe some one is already using your personal info to make a quick buck, and the point is, are you really aware of it...? or you don’t have a clue that person is charging you money to hide your own details but yet as you said anyone can get your info from another source,.... isn't that funny?

And providing free web hosting does not violate any moral or ethical values because web hosting is a service which has no life and cannot be touch nor seen not even smell or feel and does not involve any individuals real life information. But ya as a business man my self i do not agree when people offer ridiculous free web hosting with full features and resources as it is not good for the web hosting industry as a whole.

 

[webfreak08]

You cannot make a business out of everything my dear friend coz there are moral and ethical values in this world

Yes, there are values which certain businesses adhere to. However, as long as a business is not misleading its customers or doing anything illegal, I see it perfectly fine to try and make as much money as possible if that's what they choose to do.

No one is forcing anyone (holding a gun to someone's head) to pay for a private registration.

But ya as a business man my self

Good luck in business. :crazy2:

 

[Dev4vip]

Yes, there are values which certain businesses adhere to. However, as long as a business is not misleading its customers or doing anything illegal, I see it perfectly fine to try and make as much money as possible if that's what they choose to do.

No one is forcing anyone (holding a gun to someone's head) to pay for a private registration.

Good luck in business. :crazy2:

I think someone is holding very BIG gun for sure , coz either you should display ur details and if you change them on your own the person who hold the BIG gun will shoot you rite on your forehead, and bang your dead, so you have no choice other than to spend extra to cover your own self, itz call a mafia :thumbsup:

And in present day business world, its not the company that matters, its the customer satisfsction, coz "Customer is the king" so you should treat your customers pretty nice, if not you will lose the game and your compnay and business will go down and thats it. :kiss: