want to register my first domain but want privacy

[Xoomie]

I never registered a domain name and i am planning on it so i went to godaddy today (which i would prefer to use because of price and icann cert) and i see that i must put alot of personal information into a public database... is there anyway that i could avoid that? possibly with another registrar??

Xoom

[lotsofissues]

Nope all must follow the same rules. You must put the same information.

This is why you have to make your own rules. :D
EVERYONE--puts fake information when prompted to put address and name.

[Jan]

Originally posted by lotsofissues
EVERYONE--puts fake information when prompted to put address and name.
Oh no they don't :angry2: There are still a lot of honest people in this world :confused2

[Ashed]

Yeah, I always put my real info whenever I register for things. :D

[Bruce]

Originally posted by Jan

Oh no they don't :angry2: There are still a lot of honest people in this world :confused2 Well... all of my personal info is readily avaiable in the whois database (if anyone wants to gimme a call, go right ahead. :p), and I'll also give correct information to paid serivces like web hosts and such, but if I sign up for any free service, whether it be free email or hosting or whatever, there's no way in hell they're getting accurate information outta me.

[thewitt]

There are registrars who will collect your information, verify it, and then use "placeholder" information in your whois records. The only ones I've seen however charge $150 a year for registration. It's not cheap due to the liability of the registrar in these situations.

When you sign up with anyone to register a domain, you agree to provide accurate contact information in your whois records. It's in every ICANN registrars Terms of Service by order of ICANN.

The registrar is responsible to see that you enter correct information. The requirement is clearly spelled out on the icann.org website.

If your information is suspect, and someone complains to your registrar, he has 15 days to contact you and for you to respond with accurate information or he is required under ICANN regulations to DELETE your domain.

Like it or not, you are required to register your domain with accurate contact information. If you choose not to do so, you run the risk of losing your domain without warning - assuming the your registrar cannot get ahold of you because you supplied inaccurate contact information!

-t

[Semjon]

even if you provide fake names, your name is still on the credit card you used! and you can't register with a fake credit card. even if you provide fake info, your name can be found out using the credit card number.

[Bruce]

Not if you don't use a credit card...

[Jan]

That isn't entirely true Semjon. Some people have their parent's, friend's, spouse's CC details on the the details they enter.

I have a friend who has CC payment deducted every month from his girlfriend's CC account for his internet access. He just pays her cash each month. I know others that have wanted to buy stuff online who use someone else's CC details (with their permission of course), so Credit card info would not be used for identity in a domain name.

The best bet as far as domain info goes is to use your correct info (just to be on the safe side) :p

[meow]

Fact is you can theoretically lose your domain if you provide false information. My guess is that would happen only if you can't be reached at all and some one gets PO'ed.

Anyway, http://gkg.net protects your eamail address and publish a forwarding address in the whois. Very nice of them. I've transferred my domains there for that reason. I use my name, a friends box address and a no longer working phone number. I think it's safe. I can be reached both through email and postal mail, just not by phone. I've used them for over 2 years and can recommend them. Cheap, fast, simple.

[Canuckkev]

So do I have to put my street address in there, or would any mailing address I can be reached at be allowed?

[Damoose]

Try providing the information of your webhost, thats what i have done, ask them first, see if they will let you :)

[Bruce]

Originally posted by Canuckkev
So do I have to put my street address in there, or would any mailing address I can be reached at be allowed? Any mailing address is fine... I use my P.O. Box only to find spam from Register.com there every week...

[Damoose]

how much does a PO Box cost?

[Canuckkev]

Well, I don't know about the UK, but here it's like <10$ a month.

[Jan]

It costs me $AUD45 a year, (about 16 British Pounds and $USD25)

[Damoose]

only £16 a year? not bad at all is it? cool. thankyou.

[LeX]

Originally posted by thewitt
When you sign up with anyone to register a domain, you agree to provide accurate contact information in your whois records. It's in every ICANN registrars Terms of Service by order of ICANN.All services, free or paid, requires you to agree to provide complete and accurate and up-to-date information. But like anyone cares. (Okay, I know some of you do care...)

My whois info is partially fake. :p There is no way I'm going to provide real info to something that's viewable by anybody. Only for those pay sites that claims to keep your personal info private will I give real info.

[thewitt]

I don't know if you've been following this LeX, but ICANN is starting to care about valid contact information. They have set up a new reporting mechanism and haved actually threatened Verisign with taking away their ability to register .com domains if they don't clean up their act immediately.

There will be a crackdown soon - you can count on it.

-t

[Canuckkev]

May I ask what exactly the reason is? Is it a liability issue? If the domain is being used for illegal purposes? Or what? I see no reason for having to supply the world my home address and telephone number, if I am just running a personal site (which I am not, I am not running a site).

[thewitt]

I didn't make the rules. I could not tell you what the initial motivation was.

ICANN requires valid contact informatoin when you sign up for a domain name. It's required of the registrars by contract, and required of you by extension.

The site where you registered your domains should have bound you to this contract, however if they did not it doesn't really matter. The registrar would be in violation of their ICANN agreement - because they also agreed to bind you to these rules and regulations. The penalty for not complying with this one is the loss of your domain name.

If a formal complaint is filed at the registrar - you have 15 days to supply valid information or they are bound under ICANN contract to drop your domain name...

Earlier this year ICANN published a memo to all registrars warning that they would be taking this clause in the domain registration contract seriously. Now they have actually sent Verisign notice that they will pull Verisign's ability to sell .COM domains if they don't get their act together. Verisign is complying and has actually dropped a couple of names that contained false data already...

-t

[Toefur]

Originally posted by Jan
It costs me $AUD45 a year, (about 16 British Pounds and $USD25)

For a PO box? :confused:

[LeX]

Originally posted by thewitt
I don't know if you've been following this LeX, but ICANN is starting to care about valid contact information. They have set up a new reporting mechanism and haved actually threatened Verisign with taking away their ability to register .com domains if they don't clean up their act immediately.

There will be a crackdown soon - you can count on it.

-t The info I provided looks as real as real can be. :p How are they going to verify your info anyway? Call you? Mail you? Fax you? Visit you? What do they gain from this?

[thewitt]

Originally posted by LeX
The info I provided looks as real as real can be. :p How are they going to verify your info anyway? Call you? Mail you? Fax you? Visit you? What do they gain from this? ICANN doesn't gain anything, but the way it works is like this.

Someone questions your contact info and files a formal complaint with ICANN or your Registrar.

Your registrar has 15 days to contact you using whatever information they have for your and get your data corrected.

If after 15 days pass, you cannot be contacted and your data is still incorrect, your domain is DELETED from the registry.

Tough rules, no doubt... It will be interesting to see how well they are enforced now that ICANN has put registrars on notice.

-t

[Bruce]

I don't really have a problem with providing the information, but what I do have a problem with is some of the registrars...

If Register.com sending me snail mail trying to get me to transfer my domain to them wasn't enough, now they're even calling my house! How low will some registrars go??

Anyone else experience these things? Snail mail is one thing, but calling my house? What are they gonna do next, stop by and discuss it over a cup of coffee? :rolleyes:

I guess that's my only real complaint about providing the information...

[Jan]

I haven't had any problems like that Bruce. No snail mail from anyone in all that time I have had my domains. They probably wouldn't want to ring me long distance either ;)

And Toefur, yes :)

[LeX]

Originally posted by Bruce
Anyone else experience these things?Nope!
That's cuz I almost never give out real info..... ;)

Reason: you never know.

[Toefur]

Originally posted by Jan


And Toefur, yes :)

Sweet. I'm gonna get one. :D

[Editor]

Godaddy are running this I believe:

http://www.domainsbyproxy.com

Regards

Gary

[Kaliber]

Interesting read thewitt,
I think ICANN should marten up their act, there are amazingly slow at doing anything. Personally I always give my personal info out to a paying sevice, always. I used to be a little suspicious making up crazy names like 13 Jupiter Ave, Neptune for example but that was when I was like 10. Not I don't care, I have never recieved any spam from anyone, but I guess there have gotta be some advantages to living in australia..

rant rant....