When you register a domain, ICANN requires collecting contact information including name, address, phone number, and email. Historically, this information was published in publicly accessible WHOIS databases. Anyone could query these databases to find detailed information about domain owners—creating significant privacy and security concerns.
WHOIS privacy protection addresses these concerns by replacing your personal information with proxy details in public WHOIS records. Your actual data remains securely on file with InternetAdresse for legitimate purposes, but public queries return privacy-protected information instead of your details.
Why WHOIS Privacy Matters
Exposing domain registration information creates multiple risks that WHOIS privacy effectively mitigates.
Spam Prevention
Spammers harvest email addresses from WHOIS records systematically. Once your email appears in WHOIS, expect significant increases in spam volume. WHOIS privacy uses a proxy email that filters legitimate communications while blocking spam, keeping your primary inbox clean.
Identity Protection
Your name, home address, and phone number in public databases create identity theft risks. Bad actors use this information for social engineering attacks, fraudulent account creation, or physical security threats. WHOIS privacy removes your personal details from easy access.
Competitive Intelligence
Competitors can monitor WHOIS records to discover your new projects before public launch. Domain registrations often reveal business initiatives, product names, or expansion plans. WHOIS privacy masks ownership, keeping your strategic moves confidential until you choose to announce them.
Targeted Attacks
Attackers researching potential targets often start with WHOIS lookups. Domain ownership information helps them craft convincing phishing emails, identify key personnel, or plan social engineering campaigns. Privacy protection removes this reconnaissance vector.
How WHOIS Privacy Works
When you enable WHOIS privacy, we replace your registration information with proxy details in the public WHOIS database.
What Gets Protected
All registrant contact fields receive protection: name, organization, street address, city, state, postal code, country, phone number, fax number, and email address. The technical and administrative contact fields are similarly protected. Only the proxy service information appears in public queries.
Email Forwarding
Legitimate contacts attempting to reach domain owners should not be blocked. The privacy proxy includes an email forwarding address that delivers filtered messages to your actual inbox. You can respond to legitimate inquiries without revealing your primary email address.
Transparent to Services
WHOIS privacy operates at the public database level and does not affect your relationship with InternetAdresse. All account functions, ownership rights, and management capabilities remain unchanged. You own and control the domain exactly as before.
Included Free with Every Domain
Many registrars charge annual fees for WHOIS privacy, treating basic protection as a profit center. We believe privacy protection should be standard, not optional. InternetAdresse includes WHOIS privacy at no additional cost on all TLDs that support the feature.
Privacy protection activates automatically for new registrations and incoming transfers. You can disable privacy if needed for specific use cases, but the default ensures all customers receive protection without additional action or expense.