eNom forcing AboutUs.org listing at top of all Whois queries

[aww]

eNom now advertising at top of all whois queries

Go to any whois service that shows you direct whois queries (port 43) and try checking out enom.com (or any domain name you have registered on enom)

(try allwhois.com if you don't know of any other and don't know how to use telnet to whois.enom.com)

Before ANY data is sent, it sends a link to aboutus.org ??

So enom is doing their own commercial advertisements in whois data now? Linking to whatever service they want and pre-empting your information about how to contact you?

There is no way to opt out of this to the best of my knowledge?

telnet whois.enom.com 43
enom.com
=-=-=-=
Visit AboutUs.org for more information about enom.com
<a href="http://www.aboutus.org/enom.com">AboutUs: enom.com</a>

Registration Service Provided By: eNom, Inc.
Contact: [email protected]

Domain name: enom.com

Registrant Contact:
eNom, Inc.
DNS Manager ([email protected])
+1.4258838860
Fax: +1.4258833553
PO Box 7449
Bellevue, WA 98008
US

Administrative Contact:
eNom, Inc.
DNS Manager ([email protected])
+1.4258838860
Fax: +1.4258833553
PO Box 7449
Bellevue, WA 98008
US

Technical Contact:
eNom, Inc.
DNS Manager ([email protected])
+1.4258838860
Fax: +1.4258833553
PO Box 7449
Bellevue, WA 98008
US

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
dns1.name-services.com
dns2.name-services.com
dns3.name-services.com
dns4.name-services.com
dns5.name-services.com

Creation date: 24 Oct 1997 00:00:00
Expiration date: 21 Sep 2012 13:45:09
=-=-=-=
The data in this whois database is provided to you for information
purposes only, that is, to assist you in obtaining information about or
related to a domain name registration record. We make this information
available "as is," and do not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a
whois query, you agree that you will use this data only for lawful
purposes and that, under no circumstances will you use this data to: (1)
enable high volume, automated, electronic processes that stress or load
this whois database system providing you this information; or (2) allow,
enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited,
commercial advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic
mail, or by telephone. The compilation, repackaging, dissemination or
other use of this data is expressly prohibited without prior written
consent from us.

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. By submitting
this query, you agree to abide by these terms.
Version 6.3 4/3/2002

 

[SharonTucci]

IMHO I like the idea of aboutus.org and as far as I know, it is not a for-profit organization. Domaintools.com and other whois lookup sites display it for all domains so I'm not sure where there is an issue with Enom doing it.

If anything, it's a way of getting more info out there about your site/domains to potential buyers!

 

[stscac]

I like the idea as well. I think it should be properly parsed, though, or not included in the telnet whois session

I'd like to get a discussion going on this. What do others think?

-Steve

 

[AzN]

***** Redirected to whois.networksolutions.com *****

NOTICE AND TERMS OF USE: You are not authorized to access or query our WHOIS
database through the use of high-volume, automated, electronic processes. The
Data in Network Solutions' WHOIS database is provided by Network Solutions for information
purposes only, and to assist persons in obtaining information about or related
to a domain name registration record. Network Solutions does not guarantee its accuracy.
By submitting a WHOIS query, you agree to abide by the following terms of use:
You agree that you may use this Data only for lawful purposes and that under no
circumstances will you use this Data to: (1) allow, enable, or otherwise support
the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations
via e-mail, telephone, or facsimile; or (2) enable high volume, automated,
electronic processes that apply to Network Solutions (or its computer systems). The
compilation, repackaging, dissemination or other use of this Data is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Network Solutions. You agree not to use
high-volume, automated, electronic processes to access or query the WHOIS
database. Network Solutions reserves the right to terminate your access to the WHOIS
database in its sole discretion, including without limitation, for excessive
querying of the WHOIS database or for failure to otherwise abide by this policy.
Network Solutions reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.

Get a FREE domain name registration, transfer, or renewal with any annual hosting package
- or just $8.95 with monthly packages.

http://www.networksolutions.com

Visit AboutUs.org for more information about NETSOL.COM
<a href="http://www.aboutus.org/NETSOL.COM">AboutUs: NETSOL.COM </a>


Registrant:
Network Solutions, LLC
Network Solutions LLC
13861 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
HERNDON, VA 20171
US

Domain Name: NETSOL.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Network Solutions, LLC [email protected]
Network Solutions LLC
13861 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
HERNDON, VA 20171
US
570-708-8788 fax: 703-668-5817


Record expires on 02-Feb-2015.
Record created on 31-Jan-1993.
Database last updated on 11-Sep-2007 16:34:28 EDT.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS1.NETSOL.COM 216.168.229.228
NS2.NETSOL.COM 216.168.229.229
NS3.NETSOL.COM 216.168.229.229

***** Redirected to whois.register.com *****

The data in Register.com's WHOIS database is provided to you by
Register.com for information purposes only, that is, to assist you in
obtaining information about or related to a domain name registration
record. Register.com makes this information available "as is," and
does not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a WHOIS query, you
agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that,
under no circumstances will you use this data to: (1) allow, enable,
or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial
advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by
telephone; or (2) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes
that apply to Register.com (or its systems). The compilation,
repackaging, dissemination or other use of this data is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Register.com.
Register.com reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.
By submitting this query, you agree to abide by these terms.


Organization:
Register.Com, Inc.
Domain Registrar
575 Eighth Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
US
Phone: 212-798-9100
Fax..: 212-798-5464
Email: [email protected]

Registrar Name....: Register.com
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.register.com

Domain Name: REGISTER.COM

Created on..............: Wed, Aug 04, 1999
Expires on..............: Tue, Aug 04, 2015
Record last updated on..: Fri, Jun 09, 2006

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Register.Com, Inc.
Domain Registrar
575 Eighth Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
US
Phone: 212-798-9100
Fax..: 212-798-5464
Email: [email protected]

Domain servers in listed order:

NS1.REGISTER.COM 216.21.234.96
NS2.REGISTER.COM 216.21.226.96
NS3.REGISTER.COM 216.21.234.97
NS4.REGISTER.COM 216.21.226.97

Visit AboutUs.org for more information about register.com

<A HREF="http://www.aboutus.org/register.com">AboutUs: register.com</A>

Register your domain name at http://www.register.com

Looks like Register and Netsol's doing it too

 

[Dave_Z]

What do others think?

Whatever people want to think, good or bad.

If some of you don't like that, then ask those registrars (if you got names with
any of them) for options on how to possibly edit those listings.

But...it's their WHOIS to do as they see fit.

 

[Cronus]

Yeah, I find it really annoying too (Enom has been doing this pretty much all year, and Network Solutions now does too). It isn't at all clear that it is a paid advertisement for AboutUs.Org -- people might think I'm recommending them since the text appears in my whois entry. It should be labeled as an advertisement. AboutUs is a FOR PROFIT company with millions of dollars in investments, but they use the .org even though they also own the .com. They do this so people will associate them with actual nonprofit wiki sites, such as Wikipedia, and be more likely to generate free content for them. The reason DomainTools shows them is that NameIntelligence is an AboutUs investor.

The worst thing is they took a bunch of text and logos from my websites without permission for their "AboutUs" page, then they show Google ads on my content. I think this is a copyright violation. They were called on it and now say that they will take fewer paragraphs, but they never went back and removed all the pages that they blatantly swiped for commercial gain. In the AboutUs Wikipedia entry, the longest section is "criticism".

Most popular web sites have a Wikipedia entry anyway, which I certainly trust much more than the deceptive AboutUs company.

Sorry for the rant! But as you can see, I think AboutUs are obnoxious and hope they fail. The whois ads are annoying, but I could live with them if they were actually labeled as advertisements.

 

[aww]

This is interesting, I opened a ticket with enom asking how I could opt-out of this and (12 hours later) they responded that they have removed it for all my existing domains.

However I don't see any change yet (2-3 hours since their reply) so I'll give it a bit longer before checking with them.

 

[aww]

Just a final update that the link is gone now from all our domains.
So enom can indeed fix it and I'm satisfied.