What is WHOIS?
WHOIS is a public database that stores information about domain registrations. When you register a domain name, certain details—such as the registrant’s name, email address, and domain ownership—are recorded in a WHOIS record.
Who Oversees WHOIS?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the nonprofit organization responsible for managing domain name policies worldwide. They ensure that every domain registered follows standard rules and that key information is collected.
How is the Data Collected?
When you register a domain name, you must provide:
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Registrant Information (Your name or business name)
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Contact Details (Email, phone, and physical address)
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Technical and Administrative Details (How the domain is managed)
When a domain name is registered, the domain registrar—the company you purchase the domain from—collects and stores the registrant’s details, including name, contact information, and administrative data. This information is then submitted to the registry, which maintains the central authoritative record for the top-level domain (TLD). While WHOIS data is stored by both the registrar and the registry, the registry holds the official version for its TLD, while the registrar manages updates and provides user-facing access to WHOIS records. This data is essential for domain verification, ownership tracking, and administrative purposes.
Privacy and WHOIS Protection
Because WHOIS data is publicly accessible, many registrars offer privacy protection services that hide personal details from public searches. If privacy is a concern, enabling ID Protection ensures that only essential information is visible while keeping personal data secure.