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.26 Aug 2002
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.”