Why is ‘Whois’ important and who can use it?
A WHOIS service is a tool that allows users to look up information about a domain name and its associated registrant. WHOIS stands for "who is" and is a protocol that allows users to query a database of registered domain names and retrieve information about the registrant, such as their name, address, phone number, and email address. This information is known as WHOIS data and is collected and maintained by domain name registrars, which are organizations that manage the registration of domain names.
When you use a WHOIS service, you enter a domain name, and the service sends a query to the WHOIS database for that domain name's registrar. The registrar then sends back the WHOIS data for that domain name, which the WHOIS service then displays to the user. This data typically includes the following information:
- Domain name
- Registrant's name
- Registrant's email address
- Registrant's phone number
- Registrant's postal address
- Domain's creation date
- Domain's expiration date
- Nameservers associated with the domain
- Registrar information
It's important to note that while WHOIS data is publicly available, many registrars allow registrants to opt for private registration services that mask their personal information. Additionally, some countries or regions have laws that restrict access to WHOIS data for privacy reasons. WHOIS data can also be used for various purposes like finding the owner of a domain, tracking the history of a domain, and checking the availability of a domain.
