WhoIS is Selling Our Information

[clasione]

I have recently become aware that this website: http://whois.domaintools.com and possibly others are collecting, organizing, and selling lists of the domain names which I (and you) own collectively.

By searching this whois database, the results are returned including a ""Such and Such" owns about #___ other domains New! #___ Domains Found - Order this report for $116.00

This is of serious concern and I question wether or not this is even legal or some type of violation of privacy. It's one thing when you know someone can publicly look you up, phone you, or spam you, but I concider domains as an investment, and I do not authorize a public viewing, and/or especially a commercial sale for a public viewing of my personal portfolio, client porfolio, or company interests. This smells of a mess waiting to be un-earthed.

Looking for other opinions on this.

 

[Theo]

They claim it's public information. Agreed, selling aggregated information is akin to selling email or phone lists. There is no precedent thus far. Class action lawsuit anyone?

What AboutUs.org does is even worse: it allows anyone to edit WHOIS info in their database. You cannot opt out!

 

[clasione]

What AboutUs.org does is even worse: it allows anyone to edit WHOIS info in their database. You cannot opt out!

That sounds rediculous too, but doesn't concern me half as much as selling a collection of my personal or company information for a profit. I'll tell you one thing for sure, I don't know if this is legal or not, but this is definetly going to make the discussion table at the next meeting with council.

 

[Theo]

In my opinion, it's as if someone took Bellsouth's yellow pages and sold a list of all your phone numbers to someone else.

 

[Focus]

I don't like it one f*cking bit...it's bascally set up to target companies looking for tm portfolio holders imo, hence the hefty pricetags for the info...

 

[clasione]

In my opinion, it's as if someone took Bellsouth's yellow pages and sold a list of all your phone numbers to someone else.

That anology makes it seem pretty harmless.... I guess it depends more on if you concider a domain name to be more like a public phone number or a piece of real estate property. To me it seems more like a collection of deeds. It's sold not as a point of contact but a collection of properties IMO.

 

[Ian]

this is what ICANN has to say about whois:

This service is intended only for query-based access. You agree
that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no
circumstances will you use this data to: (a) allow, enable, or otherwise
support the transmission by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile of mass
unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations to entities other than
the data recipient's own existing customers; or (b) enable high volume,
automated, electronic processes that send queries or data to the systems of
Registry Operator or any ICANN-Accredited Registrar, except as reasonably
necessary to register domain names or modify existing registrations. All
rights reserved. Public Interest Registry reserves the right to modify these terms at any
time

 

[clasione]

I don't like it one f*cking bit...it's bascally set up to target companies looking for tm portfolio holders imo, hence the hefty pricetags for the info...

Agreed - could be used as a tool in proving bad faith registrations...

 

[Dave Zan]

this is what ICANN has to say about whois:

What you quoted above appears to be from PIR, not ICANN.

Read your registrar's privacy policy or whatever as a starting point.

 

[Focus]

I want 50% of the revenue when they sell my list