This guide will explain how to enable or disable WHOIS Privacy. WHOIS is a system and collection of databases used to provide information about registered domain names. Depending on the domain extension and applicable privacy requirements, publicly available registration information can include details such as the domain name, Registrar, registration and expiry dates, nameservers, and Registrant contact information.
WHOIS Privacy is designed to help protect personal and contact information from being publicly displayed. When privacy protection is active, eligible Registrant information can be masked or replaced with privacy-related information, helping to reduce unwanted exposure of personal details.
Domains.co.za explains that WHOIS Privacy Protection is available for customers who prefer to keep their Registrant and contact details confidential. Availability and requirements can vary depending on the domain extension.
Domains.co.za also offers WHOIS Privacy as part of its Domain Protection service. The service helps mask information such as the name, email address and telephone number of a Registrant from public view.
WHOIS Privacy can be useful for individuals and businesses that do not want their personal contact information to be publicly visible through domain registration records.
When WHOIS Privacy is enabled, publicly available WHOIS information may display masked or proxy information instead of the Registrant’s personal details. This can help reduce spam, unwanted marketing messages and other unwanted contact.
The availability and operation of WHOIS Privacy depend on the specific TLD. Some domain extensions have different registry rules or privacy requirements, so WHOIS Privacy may not be available or may operate differently for every domain.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Enable or Disable WHOIS Privacy
1. Login to the Domains.co.za Customer Portal.
2. Open the Manage Services dropdown menu.
3. Choose Web Hosting if the domain is linked to a hosting service.
4. Locate the domain for which you want to manage WHOIS Privacy and open its management options.
5. Look for WHOIS Privacy or Domain Protection.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to enable WHOIS Privacy if the service is available for your domain extension.
7. If WHOIS Privacy is already enabled, use the available option to disable it if you want the applicable Registrant information to become publicly visible.
8. Confirm the requested change if the portal asks you to verify or authorise the update.
9. Check the domain’s WHOIS information after the change has been processed to confirm that the expected information is being displayed.
10. Contact the Domains.co.za Sales or Support Team if WHOIS Privacy is unavailable for your TLD or you need assistance managing the service. Domains.co.za notes that privacy protection options can depend on the TLD.
Additional Information
- WHOIS databases can contain domain registration information such as the domain name, Registrar, registration dates, nameservers and Registrant details.
- WHOIS Privacy is intended to prevent eligible Registrant and contact information from being displayed publicly
- When privacy protection is active, public WHOIS results may display masked or proxy information instead of the Registrant’s personal details.
- WHOIS Privacy can help reduce unwanted spam, sales calls and marketing messages by limiting the amount of personal contact information available publicly.
- WHOIS Privacy availability depends on the domain extension, so the option may not be available or may work differently for every TLD.
- Domains.co.za recommends contacting its Sales Team for information about privacy protection options applicable to specific TLDs.
- WHOIS Privacy does not remove the domain’s registration information from the Registrar’s records. The Registrant information still needs to be collected and maintained where required by applicable registration policies.
- WHOIS Privacy is different from domain ownership. Enabling privacy protection does not transfer ownership of the domain to another person or organisation.
- Domains.co.za’s Domain Protection service includes WHOIS Privacy as one of its security and privacy features.
- Domains.co.za states that its Domain Protection WHOIS Privacy feature helps keep information such as a customer’s name, email address and telephone number hidden from public view.
- WHOIS information can vary between different TLDs because country-code and generic domain extensions may have different registry requirements and disclosure rules.
- Keeping your Registrant information accurate is important even when WHOIS Privacy is enabled, because Registrars are required to maintain correct domain registration information.
Login to Domains.co.za Account
1. Go to the Domains.co.za website Account Login page.
2. Enter your Email and Password and click the Sign In button.
3. You will see the Domains.co.za Dashboard, displaying the Manage Account menu on the left and your Account Information, Account Overview and Open Support Tickets on the right.
