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ICANN Forcing Domain Registrar's To Change WhoIs Privacy.
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ICANN Forcing Domain Registrar's To Change WhoIs Privacy.

(I don't think its a big deal but just a re-post of the email below)
Just got this email from dreamhost, which I am sure more providers will have to follow:

On October 31st 2016, DreamHost will be making a subtle change to how we handle WHOIS privacy for your domain registrations. It looks like you're taking advantage of our domain privacy on at least one of your registered domains, so this definitely affects you.

ICANN, the organization tasked with overseeing domain registrations worldwide, has asked us to change the way we register domains with privatized contact information. They are demanding that we no longer register these domains as "A Happy DreamHost Customer," but as a separate entity. To appease their lawyers, we've formed a separate proxy organization to do exactly that. Very soon your domains will be registered by "Proxy Protection, LLC." Don't worry - that's us!

What does this mean for you? You'll still have full control over your use of any domains registered in your name. This is really just some housekeeping we're doing internally to appease ICANN's lawyers, but we wanted to give you a heads-up before we do it so you can disable domain privacy if you aren't comfortable with this change.

The only thing you WILL need to do is be on the lookout for a new RAA Domain Verification Email. You got one of these when you first registered your domains (and whenever you update your WHOIS information). When you receive it you will need to click the link within it to verify your domain's contact information.

The RAA Domain Verification Email will be sent to the email address of the domain registrant. Please check your spam and junk email folders to ensure you don't miss it! (It will be coming from [email protected]) From the time you receive that email, you will have 15 days to verify your contact information before your domain goes into suspension!

For reference, here are your 2 domains that are currently using our WHOIS privacy:

Our Proxy Protection terms and conditions will become effective on October 31st 2016, and they explain the new setup using words and phrases that only a lawyer could love. You can also read our plain-English blog post highlighting some of the changes! Again, you can disable domain privacy if you aren't comfortable with this change!

Please don't hesitate to contact our support team if you've got any questions about any of this.

Look, the fact that the domain registration system doesn't natively anonymize your contact information from prying eyes is worrying enough. The fact that we now have to jump through these hoops (and inconvenience you) to continue to bring you this identity-protecting, no-brainer functionality is mind boggling.

Soon this will all be over and we can all get on with our lives, but for now we're in this together. Godspeed.

  • Happy DreamHost Domain Bot!
Thanked by 1MikePT

Comments

  • One thing they fail to mention which apparently is also coming into force, a registrant email change will require verification from both the old and the new address. I can see this causing issues.

    GoDaddy (via WildWestDomains) notified me of this change that'll be going live in Dec' 2016

    Thanked by 1MikePT
  • MikePTMikePT Moderator, Patron Provider, Veteran

    I love whoever writes their emails and blogs.
    It's an awesome PR.

    Thanked by 1netomx
  • StevieStevie Member
    edited September 2016

    @MrGeneral

    I agree they have a more "people friendly" vibe - Sadly I can't say good or bad things about them since I just used them for domain registration and never needed to contact support.

    @ricardo
    So if I registered with [email protected] and then updated it to [email protected] I would have to verify both of them? I can see how this would cause problems :-/

    Thanked by 1MikePT
  • MikePTMikePT Moderator, Patron Provider, Veteran

    Stevie said: I agree they have a more "people friendly" vibe - Sadly I can't say good or bad things about them since I just used them for domain registration and never needed to contact support.

    Never used their services as well but am quite interested in doing so just to test their support.

  • Yes, @Stevie

    Here's what GoDaddy emailed me

    ICANN is updating the domain Account Change process.

    After December 1, 2016 both parties will need to confirm a pending Account Change.

    As of December 1, 2016, both the old and new registrants will need to confirm a pending change by clicking a button in an email. If either denies the change or fails to respond in 5 days it will be cancelled.

    If you're using our Domain Control Center, we'll update it to reflect the new process. If you're using your own system, please update your site and tell customers to look for an email when completing a pending account change.

    Read the full details in the News and Alerts section of your Reseller Control Center and check your settings while you're there

  • DreamHost is not bad for the price. I don't use them anymore, but I used them years ago for several years. Not the fastest servers but performance was acceptable. You get a lot for the price/month.

    Tech support was hit or miss. Sometimes I got people who were very knowledgeable other times I literally had to write out the steps that needed to be done to fix an issue. Eventually I learned some names of good techs and would just start my ticket asking them to handle it.

    Thanked by 1doughmanes
  • raindog308raindog308 Administrator, Veteran

    I'm going to change my registration to be non-private and set it to "A Happy Dreamhost Customer".

  • @raindog308 said:
    I'm going to change my registration to be non-private and set it to "A Happy Dreamhost Customer".

    And I'll report your domain to ICANN for false information :p

  • rm_rm_ IPv6 Advocate, Veteran
    edited September 2016

    Internet.bs is doing this since forever.

    Registrant Organization: Whois Privacy Corp.
    Registrant Street: Ocean Centre, Montagu Foreshore, East Bay Street
    Registrant City: Nassau
    Registrant State/Province: New Providence
    Registrant Postal Code: 
    Registrant Country: BS

    Seems like Dreamhost are so incredibly competent that it's only just now that they start to realize "whois privacy" doesn't mean "put any fake data there, AND charge the customer for that".

    Thanked by 4xaoc MikeA GCat asf
  • @TheOnlyDK said:

    @raindog308 said:
    I'm going to change my registration to be non-private and set it to "A Happy Dreamhost Customer".

    And I'll report your domain to ICANN for false information :p

    But what if, he is a happy dream host customer? Then it wouldn't be false right ;)

  • raindog308raindog308 Administrator, Veteran

    rm_ said: Seems like Dreamhost are so incredibly competent that it's only just now that they start to realize "whois privacy" doesn't mean "put any fake data there, AND charge the customer for that".

    They don't charge.

    TheOnlyDK said: And I'll report your domain to ICANN for false information :p

    By that logic, every whois-protected domain is "false information".

    Thanked by 2GCat JustAMacUser
  • I've never had an issue with some of my domains where the contact name is:

    Fuck Off, Please

    Address of:

    123 Fuck it street, Kuwait

  • I've never had any issue with regular whois. My internet friends use that to look up my phone number just like they used to do in the white pages.

    Thanked by 1raindog308
  • raindog308raindog308 Administrator, Veteran

    GCat said: 123 Fuck it street, Kuwait

    Why Kuwait!?!?

    I'd use North Korea, personally.

  • @raindog308 said:

    GCat said: 123 Fuck it street, Kuwait

    Why Kuwait!?!?

    I'd use North Korea, personally.

    They haven't advanced far enough to have addresses yet. Maybe Kim can send a 0.05 Mbps DDoS attack against me xD

  • raindog308 said: Why Kuwait!?!?

    You don't mess with Kuwait! Saddam learned that the hard way!

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