There are a lot of steps you take to protect yourself, your data, and your business while online. But one thing that few people think about is domain privacy and what that means for your business! You likely know and understand basic internet privacy and the steps you take to protect your but thinking about domain privacy is a whole other ordeal. Taking the time to think and implement something simple can be the difference between success and failure in your business over time.
What is Domain Privacy
Your domain name is the key to your website! It announces to your customers and searches what your business is all about but in order to get your domain name, you need to register with Whois. All of your personal information like address, phone numbers, domain name, and IP address is stored in this database.
The Whois has the potential to be hacked and if it is, all your personal information is not in the hands of people with unsavory intentions! In response to this, domain registrars offer domain privacy protection which helps keep your information safe from unauthorized users and hackers.
How to do a Whois Check
There are a lot of different reasons why people would want to use the Whois database that go above and beyond the nefarious purposes of hackers!
Doing a search through the Whois database is as simple as putting in the domain name. Once you’ve entered the domain name, the information of who the current registrant is, that person’s information, and the expiration date for the domain. If you’re in the market for a new domain name, this information is vital to the purchase! But if you’ve recently bought a domain, all your information is now accessible to others, nefarious purposes or not.
A Whois check is done through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers or ICANN. This organization, formed in 1998, is a non-profit that helps keep the internet safe and secure, and easy to use for anyone and everyone!
To start your domain search in the Whois database, head to whois.icann.org. Once there, you’ll see a search bar where you can enter the domain name and hit “lookup.” Your search will return your results and you’ll quickly be able to see the information you need!
Getting Domain Privacy Protection
Looking at the information that is easily displayed on the Whois database can feel like a nerve has suddenly been exposed! So now it’s time to shore up your data so you can be sure you’re protected in every area of your business.
GoDaddy Domain Privacy Protection
If you purchased your domain on GoDaddy, getting domain privacy protection is easy! You can sign up for a wide range of levels with GoDaddy that offers different levels of privacy protection. Within the Whois directory, your personal information is replaced with a GoDaddy partner called Domains by Proxy. That way your domain stays under your control but your information is hidden from anyone who might steal your identity!
Google Domains Privacy Protection
The first thing you’ll need to do when you’re looking at your Google Domain is see if privacy protection is available for your site. At the domain end, there is a DNS reference where it will say if it allows Whois privacy. If the answer is yes, you can turn on privacy protection available for your domain name! Google then uses Whois privacy providers to fill in the information and cover over your personal information in the database. There are two key ones that Google uses, Contact Privacy and WhoisProxy!
Takeaway
There are a lot of ways you take precautions with your identity and your personal information but when you purchase your domain, your information can be out there in the world, unprotected. There are some simple steps you can take to protect that information and keep your domain and identity under your control!
Searching through the Whois database brings up your personal information including who the domain is registered to. Protecting it through privacy protection on GoDaddy or Google Domains is as simple as upgrading your service or making sure your domain is eligible for protection. No matter where you host your domain, you’ll want to check and double-check whether your information is exposed and protect yourself and your business with domain privacy protection!