whois directories

how do they get your information?

[Rischen]

Hi,

How do whois directories pick up your information? Is it when you sign up for hosting? And is there a way to hide your name and location from such directories so they don't know where you live and all :)

But if whois directories pick you up from the details you enter when you host at a hosting company then do you have to lie on that form to prevent your address and name being indexed by whois directories?

I appreciate your help and time.

Best,

Rischen

[treeline]

They get your info from when you register for a domain. So if you registered your domain at networksolutions or directnic or godaddy, that's where the info comes from. If you had your hosting company register the domain for you, then that is where it started.

Many people do lie on the application forms for a variety of reasons, some sinister. You can have your address info changed by visiting your registrar's website. Plus, many now allow hiding whois info from the general public.

[Rischen]

Thanks Treeline. Appreciate your help. I'm thinking about setting up a missing-person's online site and it's something you have to think about before hosting such a site.

Rischen