DomainTools‘ registrant search service has been critizied quite a lot since its launch, because many domainers think it compromises their privacy. Now, Jay Westerdal posted on his blog that DomainTools is giving away free registrant searches if you make a search on your own domains. This way you don’t have to pay to see which information other people can acquire about you or your company.
Jay writes:
In response to some of critics that want to know what is available about themselves we have opened up the report system so that anyone can order a report on their own identify. If you have not used the Registrant Search system yet, it is a system that allows you to see all domains owned by a registrant.
(…)
We think this is just one step towards a more balanced Registrant Search tool. If people can order a report on you, then you should have the right to know what they can possibly order. Transparency should go both ways.
Overall, I think it is nice by DomainTools to offer these domain registration reports for free, but I still understand the concerns of domain owners. Especially owners of high-value generic domains rightfully fear that other people might use the information against them. Therefore, I strongly believe that it would be a good idea for owners of valuable domains or owners of big domain portfolios to use privacy protection for your domain names in order to make it impossible for others to find out what you own, or to make it harder for people to find out who owns that sought-after domain they want to get their hands on.
Dominik,
You say:
> I strongly believe that it would be a good idea for owners of
> valuable domains or owners of big domain portfolios to use privacy
> protection for your domain names…
What about the fact that if a domain is stolen, it would be very difficult to prove ownership if privacy protection is used?
There are downsides to using privacy whois as well:
1. If you’re selling domain names it makes it harder for potential buyers to contact you.
2. If your domain name is stolen it blurs the paper trail and makes it harder to prove that you are the rightful owner.
**ANSWER**
You’re right about these negative points, but if you own a valuable portfolio the positives outweigh the negatives, in my opinion. Most professional domainers are either running their own registrar or using a professional registrar such as Moniker. These are very secure registrars that make stealing a domain enormously difficult. For example, you can have an account representative call you personally to authorize any transfer outs in addition to email notifications that are being sent out and EPP codes that are required. Also, I’m absolutely positive Moniker would do everything it can to prove that the domain belonged to your account before it was stolen. So, I really think it can be important to protect your identity, because owning something that is of value and desired by other people can make you a target, and in that case most domainers prefer their name and address to not be listed publicly in the whois database.
Regarding point one, it makes it difficult for buyers to contact you. However, if you’re really interested in selling your domains you can still have a for sale link on the parking page, for instance. I think most domain owners using privacy protection aren’t interested in selling their portfolio, anyway.
If your selling domain name, ID protect is not a good option for you. You need to provide all the information that you can share so prospective buyer will be able to reach you.
Use ID protect for your not forsale domain name.
Does anyone know where I can get this report for free about someone elses email?
I have has two names scammed away from me. I posted the new registrants name and it seems others’ stolen names are now appearing in his name too. I need to do a search of all the names he owns to see if they are all stolen, I think they are.
For a truly transparent system, they should inform you the details of who buys your domain registration information. Then, you’d have the opportunity to buy their domain details! But better than that, this system should not be allowed at all.
I paid for privacy on my domains when I registered them, but somehow *some* of them have ended up in their database with my details anyway. That tells me that the advertised “domain privacy” is a temporary put-off for casual whois snoopers, but that information is accessible publicly somewhere, somehow.
It’s open to abuse by stalkers, thieves, and bullies, and in fact it assists the types of people who they claim they protect you from – and I suspect they are most likely people to pay the registrant search fee in the first place.