WHOIS is a service that allows users to retrieve information about registered domain names, such as the domain registrar, nameservers, registration status, and registration and expiration dates. It is commonly used to check domain name availability and verify domain-related details. When a domain name is registered, the registrant must provide certain contact and administrative information. While some of this information may be publicly accessible through WHOIS, personal data is often limited or hidden due to privacy regulations and the use of WHOIS privacy services. This guide provides an overview of WHOIS, how it works, and how domain contact information may be displayed. Note: • The availability and visibility of WHOIS data may vary depending on the domain extension (TLD/ccTLD) and applicable regulations. • Some domain extensions may not support WHOIS privacy protection due to registry restrictions. • When WHOIS privacy protection is enabled, registrant details are masked and replaced with proxy or anonymised information. • When WHOIS privacy protection is disabled, certain domain contact details may be publicly visible. 1) What does WHOIS information show? A WHOIS record may include the following details: • Domain registrar (the company managing the domain registration) • Nameservers • Registration and expiration dates • Domain status (e.g. active, locked) • Registrant contact details (when available) 2) WHOIS Privacy Settings: Enabled vs Disabled When Enabled: Your personal details are hidden and replaced with anonymous proxy information provided by the registrar. When Disabled: Your personal contact details (name, address, phone, email) are publicly accessible in the global WHOIS database. This helps protect personal information and reduce unwanted contact, such as spam or unsolicited messages. Example: WHOIS privacy enabled (GMO-Z.com Privacy Protection sample): Registrant Name: Whois Privacy Protection Service by onamae.com Registrant Organisation: Whois Privacy Protection Service by onamae.com Registrant Street: 26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho Registrant City: Shibuya-ku Registrant State: Tokyo Registrant Postal Code: 150-8512 Registrant Country: JP Registrant Phone: +81 354561234 Registrant Email: proxy@whoisprotectservice.com WHOIS privacy disabled: Registrant Name: John Doe Registrant Organisation: Example Company Registrant Street: 123 Main Street Registrant City: Anytown Registrant State: Penang Registrant Postal Code: 12345 Registrant Country: MY Registrant Phone: +1 1234567890 Registrant Email: john.doe@example.com WHOIS is a useful tool for verifying domain registration details and checking important information such as nameservers and domain status. Depending on your preference, you may keep your contact information visible or enable WHOIS privacy protection to limit public access and better safeguard your personal details. It is recommended to review your WHOIS settings regularly to help ensure that your domain information remains accurate and appropriately protected. For step-by-step instructions, you may also refer to the following guides on our knowledge base: • How to Enable or Disable my domain WHOIS Privacy (ID Protection) • How to update Domain WHOIS/Contact Information 3) Importance of WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Services When a domain is registered, the registrant’s contact details may be publicly available through the WHOIS database. WHOIS privacy and proxy services help protect this information by replacing it with anonymised details provided by the registrar. Using WHOIS privacy services can help: • Protect against identity theft and fraud – Prevents exposure of personal details such as your address, phone number, and email, reducing the risk of misuse. • Reduce the risk of domain-related scams – Helps prevent scammers from accessing your contact details to send misleading or fraudulent domain renewal notices. • Minimise spam and unsolicited contact – Limits unwanted emails, calls, or messages generated from publicly accessible WHOIS data. Important Limitations While WHOIS privacy services are recommended, there are some limitations to be aware of: • Legal compliance (not fully anonymous) – Privacy services do not provide total anonymity. Registrars are legally required to maintain your true data and may disclose it to law enforcement or in response to valid legal disputes. • Extension restrictions (not supported for all domain extensions) – Certain country code extensions (e.g., .us, .ca, or .co.uk) have specific residency or transparency requirements that may limit or strictly forbid the use of privacy proxies. To check your domain’s WHOIS details, visit the ICANN Lookup tool and enter your domain name: https://lookup.icann.org/en/lookup

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has significant implications for domain data and ID protection, particularly for personal information associated with domain registration. The following is how GDPR affects domain data and ID protection: • Domain registrants and registrars: Individuals who register domains are considered data subjects under the GDPR. Your personal information, such as name, email, phone, and address, may be collected, stored, or processed by Z.com. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Z.com must protect your data and ensure it is processed securely and transparently. • WHOIS database: Traditionally, domain registrants’ personal information, including name, address, phone number, and email, has been publicly accessible through the WHOIS database. However, GDPR has made certain changes, as this data is considered personal and must be protected. • Redaction of personal data: Due to GDPR, domain registrars now redact or mask personal information in WHOIS records for individuals (and some businesses) in the European Economic Area (EEA). This means that only limited information (e.g., registrar contact information) may be publicly available rather than the full personal details of the domain owner.

Note: Under GDPR, even if you turn off ID protection, your full personal data will not be publicly disclosed, ensuring your privacy remains protected.

• ID protection: Many domain registrars, including Z.com, offer privacy or ID protection services that mask the domain owner’s personal details in WHOIS records by replacing them with Z.com’s information. These services have become even more important post-GDPR, allowing individuals to protect their privacy while complying with domain registration requirements. *You may click here for more information regarding Z.com WHOIS privacy protection. • Transfer of personal data: When transferring a domain to a new registrar, GDPR requires that the personal data of the domain registrant be transferred securely and in compliance with GDPR principles. This ensures that personal information is protected during the transfer process.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive privacy law from the European Union (EU) enacted on May 25, 2018. It establishes strict rules for collecting, processing, storing, and sharing personal data, particularly for individuals in the EU. • Protecting your information: Organizations must handle your personal data (e.g., name, email, address) responsibly. • Your rights: You have rights like accessing your data, correcting it, or asking for it to be deleted. • Privacy by default: Your data is kept private unless you choose to share it. • Fines for non-compliance: Companies can face penalties if they do not follow GDPR rules. For domain name services, this means we must comply with GDPR requirements to protect your information, especially if you are based in the EU or registering a domain involving EU citizens. The GDPR aims to give individuals greater control over their data while ensuring organisations prioritise privacy and security. Under GDPR, your privacy is a top priority. For example, certain personal details that were previously displayed publicly in the WHOIS database are now protected. These details will only be shared with your consent or when legally required. Additionally, you have specific rights, like accessing your data or requesting it be deleted under certain conditions. The official webpage concerning GDPR rules can be found at this link.

When registering a domain with Z.com, our free WHOIS privacy service helps protect your personal contact information. Instead of displaying your details publicly, it replaces them with our registry or anonymised/redacted information, keeping your privacy secure. This guide explains​​ what WHOIS privacy protection means. You can turn WHOIS privacy protection on or off for any active domain, including domains in their grace status, directly through your Z.com Client Area. This gives you complete control over what contact information is displayed publicly for your domain at any time. Note: Some domain extensions (such as .ph or .asia) do not support WHOIS privacy, so your information may always be visible for those TLDs. 1. Go to our Sign-in page. 2. Enter your Email Address and Password, and proceed to log in. 3. On the left side of the top navigation bar, click on the Domains drop-down menu and click My Domains or DOMAINS directly. 4. Click on the settings icon on the right side of your domain. 5. Click Addons on the left side under Manage. 6. By default, the ID protection for your domain is enabled upon successful registration and activation. In this case, click Disable to turn off ID protection for your domain. When WHOIS privacy is enabled, your personal information is protected and not visible online. When you turn off WHOIS privacy, your protection is removed, and your contact details will become publicly visible in any WHOIS lookup. 7. Click Confirm Cancellation. 8. Similarly, click Buy Now for PHP0 (enable) to turn on ID protection for your domain. 9. Confirm again by clicking Buy Now for PHP0/Year. Upon confirmation, you should be redirected to a PAID (PHP 0, free) invoice. This means that WHOIS privacy has been enabled.

The guide video is available for your reference:   As the domain’s registrant, you must provide accurate and reliable contact information and promptly update it as necessary during the domain’s registered term. Each registered domain must provide identifying contact information — including the first and last name, email address, phone number, etc., for the registrant (owner), administrator, technical, and billing contacts. Note: The following actions will occur per ICANN policies when you update your domain’s contact information. • Verification email — The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) requires the updated contact information to be verified. This often involves the domain registrar sending a verification email to the new contact address to confirm the change. The contact must respond to this verification request to confirm the changes. You may also refer to https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/faqs-f0-2012-02-25-en. • 60-day Registrar lock — For security, newly registered/transferred or any changes on your domain contact information domain will be held for 60 days. You can easily change your domain contact information directly from the Z.com Client Area using the following steps. 1. Go to our Sign-in page. 2. Enter your Email Address and Password, and proceed to log in. 3. On the left side of the top navigation bar, click on the Domains drop-down menu and click My Domains or DOMAINS directly. 4. Click on the drop-down icon on the right side of your domain and click Edit Contact Information. 5. From here, you can manage and update your domain contact information. First, update the three contact information for a proper WHOIS update: Admin, Tech, and Billing Contact. Once all three are done, click Save Changes. 6. Now, update the Registrant Contact. Once done, click Save Changes. Note: Upon saving changes, you will be prompted to choose where the verification email will be sent. It is recommended that you choose the second option [To both new Registrant and current Admin contact] > Save Changes. You will receive TWO verification emails with Email Subject: [Z.com DomainService]Domain Ownership Change 承認依頼 yourdomain.com, each sent to the new registrant and current admin contact email addresses. Please open both and click the verification link provided to confirm the changes. You will confirm the changes once you click the verification link, and the new information will be active. Done!