In short, if you own a domain name, you can benefit from WHOIS Privacy. But let’s unpack this for a moment. The world of the internet unlocks many benefits for companies and individuals alike. With it you can work faster, more seamlessly and efficiently, and with a strong online presence it is possible to take your company as far as London and Japan. If you know how to use the internet effectively, the world is most definitely your oyster. In the process, however, you also expose yourself to the threats of the World Wide Web.

Cyber security is something that every single one of us using the internet is vulnerable to. That is why companies are installing things like anti-virus software and SSL certificates on their website to protect their customers from any potential cyber security issues. This is also why the European Union has developed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to safeguard people in the EU’s data as much as possible.

Did you know that simply by owning a domain name, you or your business are at risk of various online threats?

In order to successfully register a domain, ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) requires specific personal information about the owner in order to ensure that the registration is legal and authentic. This information (name, email, address, phone number etc.) is then listed on WHOIS servers, which are freely accessible by the public to use for whatever purpose they deem necessary.

What is WHOIS Privacy?

WHOIS Privacy is a tool that gives Domains.co.za permission to mask your information on these WHOIS servers, so that the public cannot view it via WHOIS servers.

The most prominent benefits of WHOIS Privacy includes:

• A reduction of spam – Marketers and spammers are using your personal information to phone or email you without your permission. Worse yet, some are selling your information to other companies.
• Protection from identity theft – We all know that identity theft is a reality, and with a series of your personal information freely available to criminals, you could be in serious danger.
• Privacy of domain name ownership – Many potential business ideas are at risk because the public knows the domain name ownership. Keep it private.
• Protection for personal attacks from outside – An unhappy customer can easily go to extreme measures by holding you responsible for a bad experience with your brand. And with your name, address and phone number exposed, you could receive many an unwanted call or even visit.

Find out more about WHOIS Privacy and how you can get it activated on your current domain by clicking here.