.com Domain - Home Address?

[JamesU2005]

I want to register a .com domain but I don't really want my home address plastered all over the website.

Is there any legal work around for getting my address off the whois listing for my .com domain?

 

[Al Vallario]

For .co.uk domains you are able to "opt-out" of having your details readily available in the WHOIS database if you are an individual, as opposed to a business.

There is no such choice for .com domains, so your only option is to use a form of "proxy" registration, whereby you purchase the domain from a registrar who offers a service where they register the domain in their name on your behalf. Technically speaking this is a dodgy situation to be in (and as far as I'm aware ICANN do not support proxy registrations), but as long as you use a reputable registrar you should have no problems whatsoever, and you shouldn't come across any difficulties when you come to transfer the domain to a different registrar. Domain registrars do usually charge a premium for such services (most provide email forwarding facilities etc.), but it's unlikely to be more than the cost of the domain itself (<$10/year), and that's a small price to pay for your privacy in my opinion.

GoDaddy offer a service called "Private Registration", Namecheap offer a service called "WhoisGuard" and RegisterFly a service called "ProtectFly". All are reputable registrars.

av.

Edit: You can always enter false information, and I'm sure someone will reply to this thread suggesting as much, but this violates ICANN regulations and leaves you open to having your domain taken off of you.

 

[stoofa]

You mention using false details seperately to these companies that offer "Private Registration".
If you read the ICAAN rules the "private registrations" that companies are offering are not actually keeping in with their rules & regulations.

If you have a good domain name and one that you'd rather not lose then I recommend you just put your real details in and have done with it.
There are literally millions of domains out there with all of the proper information displayed by plenty of people who aren't so paranoid.

In theory any domain name you own but isn't registered with your details on, be it false details or "Private" from a registra can be taken away from you by ICAAN if somebody files a complaint.
The "Private" registrations are pretty untested in a court at the moment, but if you take the ICAAN rules literally (as it is assumed a court probably would) then they would win.