Answer ID: 9011
Is ID Protect still helpful with the new GDPR privacy policy?
Yes, it can provide even more privacy and protection.
Regardless of any changes to the Whois system, Whois privacy can still be a valuable service to registrants worldwide. Even when the public Whois “goes dark”, there will still be a gated Whois, where registrant data will be made available to parties with a legitimate interest. "Full" Whois data for registered domains will only be accessible to legitimate and accredited third-parties, such as law enforcement, members of the security community, and intellectual property lawyers. So, while the audience for registrant data may no longer be the entire public, it will still be sizable. This is where Whois privacy comes in—if privacy is active on a domain, the personal data in the registration record will remain protected from those with access to the gated Whois. The service also provides a way for third parties to contact the domain owner via the privacy service email address displayed in the Whois output, an option that will not be provided as a part of GDPR data protection. In addition, the personal data associated with a domain that is protected by Whois privacy will not be shared with registries.
Here’s a visual guide that illustrates these differences in WHOIS output. Our recent blog post also provides a more in-depth answer to this question.
More information on the GDPR implementation: https://www.enom.com/support/the-gdpr#need-whois-privacy
What is ID Protect?
International rules require that valid contact information—known as WHOIS—is available for every domain name. ID Protect cloaks your identity and provides proxy contact information in the WHOIS.
Why is my personal information available when I purchase a domain name?
International rules require that valid contact information be provided for all domain names. Legitimate parties have access to a "gated WHOIS", such as law enforcement, members of the security community, and intellectual property lawyers. ID Protect provides valid contact information without exposing your personal contact information to scrutiny.
What personal information is displayed in domain name Whois, and how do people find it?
Domain name Whois displays name, address, and email address. Parties with "gated access" can find your domain WHOIS contact information
ID Protect provides proxy information instead of your personal contact information. Parties who want to contact you use the proxy information, and we forward to you.
Can I add ID Protect to a domain name that is registered elsewhere?
No. The domain must be registered with us in order to use ID Protect. ID Protect cannot be used with our DNS Hosting.
Which TLDs allow ID Protect?
ID Protect can be purchased for the following TLDs: com, net, org, biz, info, name, tv, cc, me
Why can’t I use ID Protect with my .us name?
The .us Registry requires that .us domain names have actual identity and contact information, rather than forwarding information.
Can ID Protect be automatically added to all eligible future domain name registrations?
Yes. On Enom.com, Log in, hover on “My Account” and click “Settings”. Click “General Settings”. On the “default options” tab, select the “Add ID Protect to all new registrations” check box, and if you wish, the “Attempt to auto renew” check box. Click “save changes”.
What if someone sends something to the Whois Privacy Protection Service postal address?
For mail which does not appear to be unsolicited commercial mail, the Whois Privacy Protection Service may either forward the mail to you or fax a page of the communication. The Service will not forward junk mail, nor will it forward mail if it becomes apparent that you provided the Whois Privacy Protection address to third parties.
What if I need to prove ownership of a domain?
To prove ownership of your domain, temporarily disable ID Protect and then ask the verifying party to confirm whois registration details.
To disable ID Protect, log in and click “My Account”. Click “Registered Domains”. Click the domain for which you want to disable ID Protect. Click “Contact Information”. Click “Edit your ID Protect settings”. Select “Unprotected” and click “save changes”.
Once the ownership verification is complete, you can turn the ID Protect service back on through your domain control panel.
How do I turn off ID Protect if my domain has expired?
Our technical support representatives can disable ID Protect on an expired domain.
Does ID Protect stay with the domain if the domain is pushed?
Yes, ID Protect is tied to the domain and moves to the new account when the domain is pushed.
If I’m transferring a domain to you, and it has privacy protection, do I need to turn the privacy protection off to transfer?
If the privacy protection service at your other registrar does not provide email forwarding, the service must be disabled so that you can respond to transfer confirmation emails.
If I am transferring my domain away from you, do I need to turn off ID Protect in order to receive the transfer confirmation emails?
No, our ID Protect service will forward to the email address associated with the domain name.
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