Every domain name registered anywhere in the world has ownership details recorded in a public database called WHOIS. Understanding what that means — and what you can do about it — matters for anyone registering a domain under their personal name.
What WHOIS Actually Shows
By default, WHOIS records typically include the registrant's name, email address, phone number, and physical address — all publicly searchable by anyone who looks up the domain. You can try this yourself on our WHOIS lookup tool.
Why This Can Be a Problem
Public contact details attract spam email and unsolicited calls, and for individuals registering a domain under their personal name (rather than a company), it exposes your home address and phone number to anyone who searches for it.
What WHOIS Privacy Does
WHOIS privacy (sometimes called ID protection) replaces your personal details in the public WHOIS record with the registrar's privacy service contact information instead, while your real details remain on file with the registrar for legal and administrative purposes.
Do You Actually Need It?
- Registering as a business with a company email and office address — less critical, since that information is already semi-public
- Registering under your personal name — worth enabling to keep your personal contact details out of public search results
Getting It Enabled
WHOIS privacy can typically be toggled from your domain's management page in your client area. If you're not sure whether it's active on your domain, reach out and we'll check for you.