Whois Privacy / Whois Privacy Plus
What is Whois Privacy Service?
Whois Privacy Service protects the personal data of a domain owner from the public by replacing this data in the Whois database with a proxy address. The Whois database contains information about the owner of an Internet domain, such as name, address, and contact information. The Whois Privacy Service keeps this data private and does not make it publicly available in order to ensure privacy and prevent spam and unwanted contacts.
What is Whois Privacy Plus Service?
Whois Privacy Plus offers, in addition to the features of Whois Privacy, an individual email address for each domain, which is displayed in WHOIS instead of the service provider’s email address. Emails sent to the individual email address are forwarded by the service provider to the registrant’s email address. This email address enables anonymous direct communication between the domain owner and the enquirer. All responses from the registrant to enquirers are also anonymized.
The function of Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus
Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus hide to varying degrees the data of the contacts of a registered domain displayed in the WHOIS. Whois Privacy replaces certain WHOIS data with data from the service provider. These include the full name, postal address, telephone and fax numbers and email addresses of the domain contacts.
Whois Privacy Plus also offers an individual email address, which is displayed in WHOIS instead of the service provider’s email address.
Emails sent to the individual email address are forwarded to the email address of the registrant stored with the service provider.
This email address enables anonymous direct communication between the domain holder and an enquirer. All replies of the registrant to the enquirer will also be made anonymously. In addition, all emails are checked for spam and viruses.
Whois Opt-In: If you want all data to be fully displayed in the registrar’s WHOIS, you can choose Whois Opt-In (see below).
Which TLDs support Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus?
The TLDs that currently support Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus can be found in our TLD knowledge base.
The list of TLDs is continuously expanded depending on registration policies and the introduction of new TLDs.
Comparison: Without Privacy, Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus
Which data is displayed in the Whois?
| Registrant field | Without Whois Privacy | With Whois Privacy | With Whois Privacy Plus | With Whois Opt-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registrant Name | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | Admin Contact | Admin Contact | John Doe |
| Registrant Organization | MyCompany Corp. | PrivateName Services Inc. | PrivateName Services Inc. | Example company |
| Registrant Street | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | 1100-1200 West 73rd Avenue | 1100-1200 West 73rd Avenue | Example street |
| Registrant City | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | Vancouver | Vancouver | Example city |
| Registrant State/Province | AZ | BC | BC | Example province |
| Registrant Postal Code | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | V6P 6G5 | V6P 6G5 | 12345 |
| Registrant Country | USA | CA | CA | Example country |
| Registrant Phone | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | +1.6047572882 | +1.6047572882 | +1.1234512345 |
| Registrant Phone Ext | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | +1.6047572882 | +1.6047572882 | +1.1234512345 |
| Registrant Fax | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | – | – | +1.1234512346 |
| Registrant Fax Ext | REDACTED FOR PRIVACY | – | – | – |
| Registrant Email | contact.domain-robot.org/internetx.com | info@privatename.com | idxxxxxxx@privatename.com | john.doe@example.com |
Due to the new European GDPR laws, WHOIS output may vary for each TLD. Without Whois Privacy, the amount of data displayed publicly varies depending on the TLD.
How can requests be sent to the domain contacts?
- Without Whois Privacy: Inquiries are possible directly to the corresponding domain contact via the PSI-USA contact form.
- With Whois Privacy: Enquiries are only possible via the contact form at www.privatename.com.
- With Whois Privacy Plus: Enquiries can be directed to the domain contact via the individual anonymous email address.
- With Whois Opt-In: Directly to the domain owner.
Will all Whois data be transferred to the registry?
- Without Whois Privacy: Yes, the data is transferred completely.
- With Whois Privacy: No, only the Whois Privacy data will be transmitted.
- With Whois Privacy Plus: No, only the Whois Privacy data will be transmitted.
- With Whois Opt-In: Yes
Is there spam and virus protection during data transmission?
- Without Whois Privacy: This depends on the registrant’s email server.
- With Whois Privacy: This depends on the registrant’s email server.
- With Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, emails are checked for spam and viruses.
- With Whois Opt-In: This depends on the registrant’s email server.
Are emails (TXT/HTML) forwarded to the registrant?
- Without Whois Privacy: No. Contact is only possible via the contact form of PSI-USA.
- With Whois Privacy: No. Contact is only possible via the contact form of PrivateName.
- With Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, via anonymous email forwarding; the original email will be attached.
- With Whois Opt-In: No, because the email inquiries go directly to the registrant.
Is an email request answered directly and anonymously?
- Without Whois Privacy: No
- With Whois Privacy: No
- With Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, via anonymous email forwarding.
- With Whois Opt-In: No
Is an email request answered directly and not anonymized?
- Without Whois Privacy: Yes
- With Whois Privacy: Yes
- With Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, the original email is attached.
- With Whois Opt-In: Yes
Comparison: Usage of an individual email address (Whois Privacy Plus) compared to a freemail address
Removes the original IP addresses from the email header
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes
- Freemail: No, the original IP address is transmitted when using an external email client.
Individual email address for each domain
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes
- Freemail: No, each domain receives the same freemail address.
Can the domain portfolio of registrants be found by searching for the email address?
- Whois Privacy Plus: No, because each domain has an individual email address.
- Freemail: Yes, because every domain has the same freemail address.
Can the individual email address be used for external enquiries?
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes
- Freemail: Yes, but the email address is not unique for every domain.
Email content is not stored
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, the content of the email is not stored.
- Freemail: No, all email content is stored by the freemail service provider.
Incoming and outgoing email addresses are not stored
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, email addresses are not stored. The service uses encrypted hashes for communication.
- Freemail: No, all email addresses are stored by the freemail service provider.
GDPR conformity
- Whois Privacy Plus: Yes, without restriction, since no data is stored.
- Freemail: Only conditionally, because the emails and email addresses are stored by the freemail service provider.
Activation of Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus
Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus can be activated in the AutoDNS user interface during domain ordering, domain transfer and domain update. Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus must be explicitly activated for each domain. Whois Privacy Plus generates an individual email address for each domain, which is displayed in the WHOIS data. You can select the desired protection, Whois Privacy or Whois Privacy Plus when registering the domain. When updating a domain with Whois Privacy Plus active, the individual email address used in the WHOIS is displayed. This makes it possible to use the email address externally to receive anonymous requests.
If you want all data to be displayed completely in the registrar’s WHOIS, you can select Whois OPT-In. Activate the checkbox “Whois Opt-In”.
Enabling and disabling Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus for subusers
Because Whois Privacy Plus is associated with costs, it can be disabled or enabled through subuser user rights (ACLs). The entries for Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus are in the “Domains” group.
Subject for all emails
\[Whois Privacy Plus|$domain\] $Original-Subject
Email texts
Template for the registrant’s reply to an enquirer
An English version of this email can be found below.
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Ihre Anfrage zur Domain $domain konnte nicht zugestellt werden
Betreff: $Original-Betreff
An English version of this email can be found below.
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Anfrage zu Ihrer Domain $domain
Absender: $Original-Absender
Betreff: $Original-Betreff
HINWEISE:
Diese E-Mail wurde auf Spam und Viren geprüft.
Die Original E-Mail finden Sie auch als Anhang beigefügt.
Bitte antworten Sie direkt auf diese E-Mail, nicht auf die E-Mail im Anhang, damit Ihre Absender-Adresse anonym bleibt.
Bitte entfernen Sie vor Antwort ggf. Ihren Footer, damit Ihre Kontaktdaten anonym bleiben.
Ihr Whois Privacy Plus Service
\========================================================================================================================
English Version:
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Inquiry about your domain $domain
Sender: $Original-Sender
Subject: $Original-Subject
NOTES:
This email has been checked for spam and viruses.
The original email can also be found attached.
Please reply directly to this email, not to the email in the attachment, so that your sender address remains anonymous.
Please remove your footer if necessary before answering, so that your contact data remains anonymous.
Ihr Whois Privacy Plus Service================================
Template if the email could not be forwarded to the registrant
========================================================================================
HINWEISE:
Dies ist das Whois Privacy Plus E-Mail-System.
Es tut mir leid, Ihnen mitteilen zu müssen, dass Ihre Nachricht bezüglich
{$domain} vom {$timestamp} nicht zugestellt werden konnte.
Für weitere Hilfe senden Sie bitte eine E-Mail an den Postmaster.
Wenn Sie dies tun, fügen Sie bitte diesen Problembericht bei. Sie können
Ihren eigenen Text aus der angehängten Nachricht löschen.
Ihr Whois Privacy Plus Service
\========================================================================================================================
English Version:
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Your inquiry about domain $domain could not be delivered
Subject: $Original-Subject
NOTES:
This is the Whois Privacy Plus email system.
I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message regarding {$domain} from {$timestamp} could not be delivered.
For further assistance, please send email to postmaster.
If you do so, please include this problem report. You can delete your own text from the attached returned message.
Your Whois Privacy Plus Service
\========================================================================================================================
Template if the email could not be forwarded to the enquirer
An English version of this email can be found below.
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Ihre Antwort auf die Anfrage zur Domain $domain konnte nicht zugestellt werden
Betreff: $Original-Betreff
HINWEISE:
Dies ist das Whois Privacy Plus E-Mail-System.
Es tut mir leid, Ihnen mitteilen zu müssen, dass Ihre Nachricht bezüglich
{$domain} vom {$timestamp} nicht zugestellt werden konnte.
Für weitere Hilfe senden Sie bitte eine E-Mail an den Postmaster.
Wenn Sie dies tun, fügen Sie bitte diesen Problembericht bei. Sie können
Ihren eigenen Text aus der angehängten Nachricht löschen.
Ihr Whois Privacy Plus Service
\========================================================================================================================
English Version:
\========================================================================================================================
Whois Privacy Plus - Your reply to the request about domain $domain could not be delivered
Subject: $Original-Betreff
NOTES:
This is the Whois Privacy Plus email system.
I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message regarding {$domain} from {$timestamp} could not be delivered.
For further assistance, please send mail to postmaster.
If you do so, please include this problem report. You can delete your own text from the attached returned message.
Your Whois Privacy Plus Service
\========================================================================================================================
FAQ
Which TLDs support Whois Privacy and Whois Privacy Plus?
Whois Privacy is available for a large number of TLDs, with the provison that the applicable registration requirements of certain domain name
registries may not allow a privacy protection service as provided by PrivateName. Therefore, PrivateName cannot and does not guarantee that the full
scope of Whois Privacy, or any privacy services, will be available for all TLDs.
How much does InterNetX Whois Privacy cost?
Whois Privacy is free of charge for all domains managed with InterNetX.
How much does InterNetX Whois Privacy Plus cost?
Whois Privacy Plus is associated with costs. You will find the prices in your individual pricelist at “Optional Services”. The price is not charged on the first order of the service, but from the renewal (RENEW) of the associated domain for the following year.
Which requirements need to be met to use the Whois Privacy (for my customers)?
You will receive an additional agreement including attachments specifying all details. Since PrivateName Service Inc. is a Canadian company, these documents are currently only available in English. Subusers can be activated at the discretion of the superior account holder through ACLs. The superordinate account holder is legally liable for ensuring that the requirements specified in the additional agreement are observed.
Who provides the Whois Privacy?
InterNetX cooperates with the Canadian company PrivateName Service Inc. The additional agreement for using the Whois Privacy is made exclusively with PrivateName Service Inc.
Do I continue to be the owner of and responsible for the domain if I use the Whois Privacy?
Yes, you continue to be the factual owner of the domain and remain completely liable for the domain and its usage.
Can I make my original data visible in WHOIS again anytime?
You can deactivate the Whois Privacy for a domain anytime. The original data will then be visible in WHOIS again.
How can the registrant be contacted when using the Whois Privacy?
Every third party can use the website www.privatename.com to access a contact form for a domain protected by PrivateName Services Inc. The message will automatically be forwarded to the email-address(es) specified by the registrant in AutoDNS.
How can the registrant be contacted when using the Whois Privacy Plus?
Whois Privacy Plus features an additional unique email address stored in the WHOIS instead of the generic PrivateName email contact details.
All emails sent to the unique email address will be forwarded to the email address of the Registrant currently known to the registrar by PrivateName.
The unique email address allows anonymized direct communication between the domain owner and an inquirer. All emails will be checked for spam and viruses.
All replies answered from the Registrant to the inquirer will also get anonymized.
How do I change the anonymous email address of Whois Privacy Plus if, e.g. I receive spam?
By deactivating the Whois Privacy Plus Service. If you reactivate the service a new email address will be generated.
How can I deactivate Whois Privacy or Whois Privacy Plus?
If you update the desired domain (bulk update is also available) you can switch between the two versions of Whois Privacy and also deactivate the service completely.
I want to sell my domain but the buyer only sees the Whois Privacy contact data. How can I prove my ownership of the domain?
After consulting with the buyer, you can temporarily deactivate the Whois Privacy for the domain. If you do not want to do this, please contact our support. We will confirm the ownership and send you the confirmation. This service is not free of charge.
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