Report Whois Domain Privacy Issues: Guide to Managing Contact Information
Domain privacy, or Whois Protection, shields your personal contact information from being publicly visible when registering a domain. This guide explains how domain privacy works and how to manage it.
Whois Protocol Explained
Whois is an internet protocol displaying domain information including:
- Registration date
- Nameservers
- DNS records
- Domain expiration date
- Registrar company
- Domain owner contact information
This information is publicly accessible through registrar search services.
Domain Privacy Protection
Domain privacy removes personal contact details from public Whois records, protecting you from spam marketers who scan these databases for email addresses.
Squarespace Domain Privacy Features
Squarespace provides free automatic domain privacy for most domains they manage. Key points:
- No setup required
- Hides personal contact information
- Some basic information remains visible (organization, state/province, country) per ICANN policies
- Contact form link replaces email address for communication
Privacy Limitations
Some domain types, particularly country-specific TLDs (like .fr and .de), may not support domain privacy. Contact your national registry for specific privacy options.
Managing Domain Privacy
To enable or disable domain privacy:
- Access your domain dashboard
- Select the desired domain
- Toggle the Whois Privacy switch
When disabled, visible information varies by registrar:
- Squarespace Domains: Shows organization, country, and state
- Tucows: Displays country and state/province
Maintaining Accurate Information
Domain owners must keep Whois records current. Inaccurate or outdated information can be reported through the Whois contact information form.
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