Talk:Domain privacy

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Well, I added this relevant section:

<However, this is not true anonymity. Your personal information is collected by these registrars and they only accept payment by credit cards. The registrars take little persuasion to release so-called 'private' information to the world as the links below demonstrate.>

The links bit was wrong, I realise that. So I'll try again, adding in a relevant link. (http://news.com.com/Private+domains+not+so+private/2100-1038_3-5833663.html)

This privacy is TOKEN privacy. It's not true anonmity.

The only company I have found that offers genuine true anonymity can be found here: http://www.katzglobal.com/hosting/anonymous-domains.html

I disagree with the statement. 1. You can use cheques and paypal with several registrars most notably Go Daddy to pay for private registrations. 2. It takes more than just a little pressure for them to release the info, and it's usually only to law enforcement. -- Spinboy 14:33, 7 September 2005 (UTC)

Fair enough. Cheques reveal user information. Paypal doesn't (I think). But in order to stay registered with ICANN, GoDaddy etc. HAVE to by law collect personal information. Otherwise they're not within their terms of agreement with ICANN. ICANN can also revoke the domain registration of any individual who gives them false information. In other words however you look at it GoDaddy has your personal information on the books unless you want to give false details, in which case you might as well not bother using their 'privacy' service anyway.

If you follow this link http://news.com.com/Private+domains+not+so+private/2100-1038_3-5833663.html you can read about a well-known case in which the information was released without any pressure (according to Alan Cordle). He says that it appears that GoDaddy is also doing the rounds of forums trying to repair the damage.

At the end of that article Kevin Bankston from the Electronic Frontier Foundation basically says that you can't trust any third party to keep your personal information secret.

As for Katzglobal.com, they offer genuine anonymity but what happens if they go bankrupt or are bought out? Will you be able to recover your domain name? Try asking them.  :-)

There is no such thing as genuine anonymity when it comes to purchasing a domain name. 'Privacy' from GoDaddy et al (Domains by Proxy for anyone interested is a company set up by GoDaddy) only lasts for as long as they want that privacy to last.

Their small print says that at any time and without giving any reason they can release your 'private' information. Here's the link http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/popup/DomainNameProxyAgreement.htm

The relevant phrase is: 'If it comes to DBP’s attention that You are using DBP’s services for purposes of engaging in, participating in, sponsoring or hiding Your involvement in, illegal or morally objectionable activities, including but not limited to, activities which are designed, intended to or otherwise: (i) appeal purely to the prurient interests of third parties; (ii) defame, embarrass, harm, abuse, threaten, or harass third parties;'

In other words, if someone threatens them and says, 'This person embarassed me, reveal all!' - they will.

For more on this and what other options there are in terms of privacy (none, basically) read this long forum post: http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/43557 (sorry this doesn't look too neat, I also have a Wiki registered name and password somewhere but can't be bothered to hunt them out, only came across this article in passing as I'm trying to find out about domain registration and privacy)

I've just removed the bit about the credit cards, by the way. The page doesn't look too neat - there's a box that stretches way across the screen, I have no idea how to fix that.

I've been doing some research. There's a famous author who uses the pseudonym Ruth Rendell. The domain names ruthrendell.com and ruthrendell.net are both registered to a firm of lawyers in London. (Use betterwhois.com). The lawyer who has her name down as the registrant has particular interests in computing. I shall post the details below. In my opinion these are easily and publicly available details that refer to an organisation and to an organisational role and aren't going to cause any problems for any individuals.

I suspect that if the lawyer in her speciality has been happy to register the domain names as she has done on behalf of another individual then it's okay for Jo or Joe Bloggs to do the equivalent.

ruthrendell.com, ruthrendell.net

     Ruth Rendell
     Morag Macdonald
     90 Fetter Lane
     London,  EC4A1JP
     GB
     Phone: 020 7415 6000
     Fax..: 020 7 415 6111
     Email: morag.macdonald@twobirds.com

http://www.twobirds.com/english/people/Morag_Macdonald1.cfm

"Morag is joint head of the Intellectual Property group. Her particular interests are a peculiar and unusual mixture of trade marks with computers and electronics ..."