Nominet UK, the registry for .uk domain names, has changed its
plans to publish details of domain name registrants in its public
WHOIS database, “in light of particular concerns about the display
of personal addresses.” Nominet UK announced earlier this year that
it would expand the scope of the database in line with other
registries.
Nominet will instead introduce an opt-out mechanism for
non-trading individuals who don’t want their details published on
line. However, this will not apply to commercial registrants.
From 1st October 2002, the WHOIS database will be expanded to
include the name and trading address of .uk registrants that have
been classified as businesses, but not telephone numbers or e-mail
addresses. At this stage, no details of non-trading individuals
will be published.
From December, the address fields of all domain names, as they
are registered or renewed will be published, unless the registrant
is a non-trading individual and has “positively” opted out of the
scheme. This means that the details of existing domain name holders
will not be displayed until the month in which their domain names
are renewed, providing that they have not opted-out.
According to Nominet UK, non-trading individuals 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.”
