Privacy vs. Transparency: Debating the Role of Whois in the Digital Age

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June 26, 2023 Business

Can you imagine searching for a random address to find out who lives there? It may take a few roundabouts and a lot of digging to find out who lives in any given house, but with a domain name (which is essentially an online address), you can find the owner in just a few seconds. It happens because of ICANN regulations.

According to their policy, a domain owner needs to provide up-to-date contact details. For example, with the Whois name lookup tool, you can get all the necessary information about any domain you’re interested in, like availability, the expiration date, and how to contact the owner. And if the domain of your dream has already been taken, you can easily message the owner with an irresistible offer of purchase.

This obviously raises some eyebrows, as there are clear privacy concerns. Proponents of free speech and transparency will maintain that people deserve free and complete data.

Which side are you on? Learn about both sides of the discourse in the rest of the article.

What Is Whois?

Before delving into the role of Whois in the digital era, let’s first talk about what it is. From the introduction, you already know that ICANN regulations require domain owner information; it all ends up on this Whois database.

Because of the data it contains, it is basically a public address book where anyone in the world can theoretically access your name and number.

Arguments for Privacy: Why Is It Bad to Use Whois?

Some people believe that Whois erodes privacy. They don’t think anyone should use it for these reasons:

It Increases the Risk of Identity Theft

Hackers use any personal info that they can get their hands on to see if there’s an opportunity to steal your identity. So, the more of yours that are out there, the higher the chances that they’ll find a weak spot.

It Can Make the Domain Owner More Susceptible to Spam

Let’s say you own a domain that a lot of people want to buy. Your phone will definitely be ringing all the time! But even if no one’s interested, people can still access your contact info, so anyone can send messages whenever they want.

Most People Don’t Want to Put Their Info Out There

Why do we need privacy? Security threats may be the strongest reason to want it, but a person shouldn’t need a reason to keep their personal information to themselves, just like you don’t need to justify not wanting to eat chocolate. We all deserve to have a say in what we want to make public, especially with how the internet has reduced the places (both real and virtual) where people can enjoy their personal space.

Arguments for Transparency: Why Is It Good to Use Whois?

Strong supporters of transparency believe in maximizing the information available on that database using a Whois name lookup. To them, the potential privacy concerns are outweighed by the benefits. Here are the most common reasons they identify:

It Promotes a Freer Market

Let’s go back to the address analogy at the beginning of the article. If you decide to purchase the house at a random address for some reason, you normally won’t just knock on the door and make an offer. Chances are the current owner is either unavailable or doesn’t want to talk to people who just show up unannounced.

But thanks to the contact info on the database, that isn’t likely to happen when buying a domain someone currently owns. You can send a message and at least put your offer on the table.

It Makes People Accountable

If a website is used to slander certain individuals, wouldn’t you want to know who owns it? After all, free speech doesn’t mean being free from responsibilities. Should the slandered people decide to make a case against the site owner, they would at least know where to start looking.

It Gives Context to the Information

Let’s say there’s a small news website that positively covers an event that’s generally viewed as negative. Knowing who owns the domain may give answers to why they heavily favor an established opposition. It also helps us make decisions about whether or not to trust certain information.

Whois: Is It a Real Threat to Privacy?

In terms of promoting privacy and transparency, there are great points for and against Whois. But remember, nothing on the internet exists in a vacuum. In the case of this database, it’s still bound by laws around the world.

And because data privacy laws exist pretty much everywhere, domain owners have nothing to worry about. More importantly, reputable domain registrars offer free domain privacy to their customers.

So, in the end, it’s not a threat to privacy at all. If you own a domain, switch to a provider that offers domain privacy as part of the package.