CHOOSING A DOMAIN NAME HOW TO REGISTER AFTER REGISTRATION MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR DOMAIN NAME
New WHOIS
From 1 October 2002, the first phase of the expanded WHOIS will be implemented to include the registrant name, the address details for registrants that have been classified as businesses, the date on which the domain name is due for renewal and the name and web address of the registration agent. This first phase will not include the address details for non-trading individuals.
From 1 December 2002, the second phase of the WHOIS will be implemented. This will include the address fields for all domain names as they are registered or renewed, except where the registrant is a non-trading individual and has positively opted not to have their address details displayed. In other words, the address details for existing domain name holders will not be displayed until the month in which their domain name is renewed, providing that they have not opted out.
Non-trading individuals will be able to opt-out of the WHOIS by contacting their registration agent or ISP, who in turn will modify the domain name record held by Nominet so that the address details are not displayed. In these cases, the WHOIS will return the registrant's name, but the address field will state: "This individual has chosen to opt-out of the WHOIS. Contact via Agent."
Non-trading individuals who are eligible to opt-out comprise those who are not using or intending to use their domain name in the course of a business, trade or profession. In line with UK and European legislation, there will be no opt-out for domain name that are classified as businesses.
For further information, including details of how to opt-out, please see http://www.nominet.org.uk/whois4.html
