Anyone registered through PoweredPresence.com has this protection enabled as part of the annual domain registration fee on their account. Many webhosts leave this as an optional add-on as a way to cut cost, but we value the safety and comfort of our clients above all else.
Let’s talk about why it’s a concern.
Did you know that when you register a domain on the internet all of the information you use to register is open as public record to any onlooker? No? This comes as a surprise to many people.
ICANN, (more info on ICANN) is the international group responsible for organizing domain names. This group works with companies called “Registrars” which take orders for domain name 1-3 year registration. ICANN requires that these registrars collect contact information for various reasons pertaining to personal legal accountability for the content or practices on the individual domains on the web.
The information is collected by the registrars individually, but shared in something called the WHOIS database (more info on WHOIS). This service is free and open to anyone, providing only a domain name such as yoursite.com allows them to see the registrant contact information (you!). The information looks like this:
Name: John Smith
Organization: John Smith
Address 1: 1234 Home Street
City: Seattle
State: WA
Zip: 55555
Country: US
Phone: +1.555-555-5555
Email: john.smith@hissite.com
In this case, when John Smith registered his domain he obviously didn’t know that his billing telephone and street address (most likely his home address) was going to be shared to anyone and everyone on the internet.
This is why we absolutely recommend domain privacy.
If you’re registered with us, you already have it. If not, look at your current registrar and see if it’s something that can be added. Go ahead and try typing in your domain name at whois.org
If you’re currently registered with domain privacy your account should show something very similar to the following (poweredpresence.com’s actual WHOIS listing):
Domain Name: POWEREDPRESENCE.COM
Registrant:
PrivacyProtect.org
Contact:
Domain Admin (contact@privacyprotect.org)
ID#10760, PO Box 16
Note – All Postal Mails Rejected, visit Privacyprotect.org
Nobby Beach
null,QLD 4218
AU
Tel. +45.36946676
I hope this had been enlightening for everyone.
Until next time,
Matthew
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