GoDaddy Will Start Masking Our WhoIs Info Jan 25th

[Ategy]

I just got the following email quoted below

For standard domain owners this is probably good ... but for domainers who want to be found via whois this is might be something we might want to be opt out of.

I'm thinking the real question is what will the searches actually see?

@Paul Nicks .. could you fill us in on the specific details of the change. Like what the searches will actually see, and some examples of "authorised" bulk searches.

Thanks

WHOIS masking starts January 25.

This service will block some of your contact details through automated access points.

We're always looking for ways to protect your information online. To help slow the flood of spam that can occur when you register a domain without privacy services, WHOIS masking of certain personal data will be turned on for all domains on January 25.

This service will limit a potential spammer's ability to access your first name, last name, email and phone number through automated means (also known as Port 43 access). We'll continue to publish full WHOIS details to users of our CAPTCHA-protected, web-based WHOIS system, as required.

Here's how to opt out:

If you still want your information to be available via automated sources of public WHOIS data, you can opt out anytime using one of these options:


• Call us at 866-938-1119.

• Send your request to [email protected]. We may ask for additional information for verification purposes.

Domain Privacy still matters.

While we hope this service will help cut down on spam calls and emails, because registration information is still made available publicly, Domain Privacy is still the best way to maintain anonymity online. WHOIS masking will only restrict spammers through automated bulk access sources.

To learn more, check out this help article:
https://ca.godaddy.com/help/masking...hared-via-whois-automated-access-points-27421

 

[Optimal Names]

I don't mind this as in 15 years of selling domains 90%+ of all of my offers/sales have generated from my own sales pages as that's where my domains point. Can recall 1 domain being sold by whois contact for $7500 but that buyer wouldn't be using an automated process to obtain my email so this should cut down on the junk in my spam box for web hosting, etc... which I do myself anyway as I have my own servers.

Sounds like a nice way to do it. I will probably need to go this route myself now.

 

[Joe Styler]

This post I did on GoDaddy's community help pages explains the changes and how to opt out if you do not want your whois info to be limited on port 43 automated lookups. https://www.godaddy.com/community/Domain-Investing/Whois-Masking-what-is-changing/td-p/88329

 

[Optimal Names]

This post I did on GoDaddy's community help pages explains the changes and how to opt out if you do not want your whois info to be limited on port 43 automated lookups. https://www.godaddy.com/Domain-Investing/Whois-Masking-what-is-changing/td-p/88329

Thanks Joe but when I went to that URL I got this page:

 

[Joe Styler]

Thanks Joe but when I went to that URL I got this page:

Show attachment 78120

If may not show if you are not in the US. If you pick US English from the top left side of the main GoDaddy page you can pick a main country for GoDaddy to show you on the website. If you do that please manually revert the country and language back to your home country because it will show the wrong currency etc.

Here is the opt out info if you want it:
Here’s how to opt out:


If you still want your information to be available via automated sources of public WHOIS data, you can opt out anytime using one of these options:

• Call us at +1 (480) 505-8877.
• Send your request to [email protected]. We may ask for additional information for verification purposes.

 

[tonyk2000]

I am also unable to see this post on GD website. I am not in U.S., but have selected US/English/USD before. I see exactly the same as the screenshot posted by @AGAME shows - it says "EN" geo and shows US-based support phones

 

[Optimal Names]

If may not show if you are not in the US. If you pick US English from the top left side of the main GoDaddy page you can pick a main country for GoDaddy to show you on the website. If you do that please manually revert the country and language back to your home country because it will show the wrong currency etc.

Here is the opt out info if you want it:
Here’s how to opt out:


If you still want your information to be available via automated sources of public WHOIS data, you can opt out anytime using one of these options:

• Call us at +1 (480) 505-8877.
• Send your request to [email protected]. We may ask for additional information for verification purposes.

I am in the USA (north carolina) and have always USA - EN set as the language. But thank you for the instructions here!

 

[Joe Styler]

Maybe my link is bad somehow. you can get there by going to the main page https://www.godaddy.com/community/ and clicking on domain investing as the thread.

 

[Brandworthy]

If may not show if you are not in the US. If you pick US English from the top left side of the main GoDaddy page you can pick a main country for GoDaddy to show you on the website. If you do that please manually revert the country and language back to your home country because it will show the wrong currency etc.

That's an absolute embarrassment. For a company the size of Godaddy to not be able to publish accessible information to non-US customers is just shameful. Sorry, but I work with global brands, many far larger than GD, and someone would have their rear handed to them if this happened in nearly all companies this size.

Perhaps it makes sense to duplicate the article you wrote here on NP so that non-US customers can access this information?

 

[Joe Styler]

I understand your point but we are a big company and we like to test things. If we test something it may be in limited markets while we test it.

 

[Joe Styler]

Here is the article :
We’re making improvements to protect you from spam.

Starting January 25, your WHOIS contact details will be masked from automated access points.



This service will block some of your contact details through automated access points.



We’re always looking for ways to protect your information online. To help slow the flood of spam that can occur when you register a domain without privacy services, WHOIS masking of certain personal data will be turned on for all domains on January 25.



This service will limit a potential spammer’s ability to access your first name, last name, email and phone number through automated means (also known as Port 43 access). We’ll continue to publish full WHOIS details to users of our CAPTCHA-protected, web-based WHOIS system, as required.



Here’s how to opt out:


If you still want your information to be available via automated sources of public WHOIS data, you can opt out anytime using one of these options:

• Call us at +1 (480) 505-8877.
• Send your request to [email protected]. We may ask for additional information for verification purposes.

Domain Privacy still matters.


While we hope this service will help cut down on spam calls and emails, because registration information is still made available publicly, Domain Privacy is still the best way to maintain anonymity online. WHOIS masking will only restrict spammers through automated bulk access sources.



To learn more, check out this help article. https://www.godaddy.com/help/maskin...hared-via-whois-automated-access-points-27421



Important to note – If you are concerned about potential buyers of your domain not being able to find your information they can still see it after filling out a captcha. This change only impacts automated requests to cut back on spammers which gather the information in bulk.

 

[xyo]

@Joe Styler why are domain dates (create/update/expiry) and domain status also hidden? That's unneeded and bad practice imho

 

[Optimal Names]

Important to note – If you are concerned about potential buyers of your domain not being able to find your information they can still see it after filling out a captcha. This change only impacts automated requests to cut back on spammers which gather the information in bulk.

So if I opt out of this, then will my full WHOIS information repopulate for places like Whoisology.com which has seen 127 of my 341 domains lose their full contact information thus falling off their system?

For example, in September 2017 if I go to the domain name on their system I see they've got nothing but blanks. In their March 2017 the full contact details are there. So this domain name no longer shows up if someone looks me up on their system with my registered email address.

I can PM you the domain name in you are interested.

 

[Joe Styler]

we are not hiding that information.

 

[Joe Styler]

@Joe Styler why are domain dates (create/update/expiry) and domain status also hidden? That's unneeded and bad practice imho

- We are not hiding that information

 

[Joe Styler]

So if I opt out of this, then will my full WHOIS information repopulate for places like Whoisology.com which has seen 127 of my 341 domains lose their full contact information thus falling off their system?

For example, in September 2017 if I go to the domain name on their system I see they've got nothing but blanks. In their March 2017 the full contact details are there. So this domain name no longer shows up if someone looks me up on their system with my registered email address.

I can PM you the domain name in you are interested.

Show attachment 78256

Honestly I have no idea. I don't know how they pull or use our WHOIS info that is really up to how they code, where and how they store the data etc.

 

[Thirwell Castle]

Here is the article :
We’re making improvements to protect you from spam.

Starting January 25, your WHOIS contact details will be masked from automated access points.



This service will block some of your contact details through automated access points.



We’re always looking for ways to protect your information online. To help slow the flood of spam that can occur when you register a domain without privacy services, WHOIS masking of certain personal data will be turned on for all domains on January 25.



This service will limit a potential spammer’s ability to access your first name, last name, email and phone number through automated means (also known as Port 43 access). We’ll continue to publish full WHOIS details to users of our CAPTCHA-protected, web-based WHOIS system, as required.



Here’s how to opt out:


If you still want your information to be available via automated sources of public WHOIS data, you can opt out anytime using one of these options:

• Call us at +1 (480) 505-8877.
• Send your request to [email protected]. We may ask for additional information for verification purposes.

Domain Privacy still matters.


While we hope this service will help cut down on spam calls and emails, because registration information is still made available publicly, Domain Privacy is still the best way to maintain anonymity online. WHOIS masking will only restrict spammers through automated bulk access sources.



To learn more, check out this help article. https://www.godaddy.com/help/maskin...hared-via-whois-automated-access-points-27421



Important to note – If you are concerned about potential buyers of your domain not being able to find your information they can still see it after filling out a captcha. This change only impacts automated requests to cut back on spammers which gather the information in bulk.

No biggie, I already moved my names to NS half a year ago.
But let's be clear about something.
You have been masking names for quite a while now, no need to give us the crazy date.
I realized this about 3 months ago, I had to solve your bloody captcha everytime I needed whois details.

 

[xyo]

@Joe Styler why are domain dates (create/update/expiry) and domain status also hidden? That's unneeded and bad practice imho

- We are not hiding that information

Mh, definitely no status or dates in whois output for me:

 

[anantj]

Mh, definitely no status or dates in whois output for me:

Show attachment 78600

Using whois on Windows, I am getting the information:

 

[Kate]

What you have is the registry output. Note that you are querying the Verisign whois server, and it provides a pointer to the registrar whois server for the registrant details.

 

[Kuffy]

My first reaction is that this is a way to force sellers to use one or more of the major domain name selling platforms, and to cut down on direct sales. Maybe it's time we had our own network of sites for private sales.