Monday, April 20, 2009

Private Domain Name Registration

To try to juggle domain registration privacy while maintaining a strong and vital internet presence can require a little extra effort. The ready availability of personal information that belongs to anyone registering named domains on the internet can prove to be a challenging situation. At the best, having this personal data out there for anyone to see can create inbox havoc and major inconvenience in the form of rampant spamming. At its worst, this information can be used to stalk, harass, or steal the identity of the individual whose personal records and numbers have been violated. There are a variety of third party services that can aide consumers in protecting the information that they would prefer to keep private. Private domain name registration helps keep this data under wraps from the very beginning. Since the use of the internet can cover anything from launching a small business to creating an interactive family scrapbook and any number of purposes in between, the need for protection in this area covers a wide variety of individual needs and preferences. Whatever the motivation, purchasing and registering domain names is the first step in the process of creating a web site. Attaining a level of safety and confidentiality is too important an element of this experience to neglect. 

It is important to remember that the internet is all about sharing, whether what is being shared is information, digital photography, or other media. Just because most internet users enjoy the benefits of the World Wide Web from the privacy of their homes does not mean that the internet is not a very public place. Choosing private domain name registration allows for a certain amount of security and protection from spammers or others who prey on the personal information of others. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, oversees the registrations of these domains and operates as a non-profit organization. ICANN requires that certain information gathered in the registration process be kept public and available on the WHOIS database. The kinds of information that are typically made public in the WHOIS database when someone registers a new name include the holder's name and physical address, the date of registration, the date that domains expire, the date of the most recent update to the domain's record, the IP address and the host name of the server, and sometimes even the addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of contacts. With all of this personal data available twenty four hours a day to whoever wants to take the trouble to check it out, the need for domain registration privacy is obvious. When a consumer chooses to pursue private domain name registration, this information is protected. Generally, a post office address is used rather than a personal physical address and an alternate e-mail address is listed rather than a holder's personal e-mail address. Rather than revealing a holder's identity, the name of the company that offers the domain registration privacy service appears in the WHOIS database. These services work by subscription and generally charge a small monthly fee. 

Many people all around the world have taken advantage of the endless possibilities presented by the World Wide Web for both business and personal use. The process of creating a web site involves finding server space from a web host provider. The role of this web host provider is to give a new web site a home. Generally, this provider also offers a setup for the DNS or domain name service that keeps e-mail going to where it belongs and helps the user get their files up and online. Along with this, web host providers might also feature such help as consulting, reports on web traffic, help with web page creation, maintenance, round the clock monitoring, and technical support. Obviously these features will vary from server to server. The Bible talks about the wisdom of righteous communication. "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things." (Proverbs 15:28) 

To understand the concept of private domain name registration also involves understanding exactly what makes up a domain name. Good names allow the web surfer to immediately understand the message and mission of the web site that they are visiting. When trying to achieve an internet identity, finding a good name is a very important step. Once a name has been chosen, purchased and registered, the holder of that name owns it. Names can be registered for anywhere from one to ten years. A fee is assessed at the time of registration. The size of the fee is determined by the number of years that the name has been registered for. Names can be purchased, registered and held without requiring that a web site bearing those names to appear on the web. Users should choose names carefully since once these names have been purchased and registered, there are no refunds and these names can not be changed. 

When a web site becomes successful, the value of the domain name rises. Success in the web world is determined by the number of visitors that a particular web site attracts. The more hits a site receives, the more revenue that site can raise through advertising sales and other means. As more and more competition occurs in the internet world, the more these domain names are seen as assets. Giving away information to a competitor does not make good business sense. For this and other reasons, guarding domain registration privacy is an important priority.

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