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What Is an Anonymous Domain?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

An anonymous domain is a website with registration information connected to a proxy, rather than the actual owner, to conceal the owner's identity. This can also be known as a private domain. Some domain registrars offer a privacy option for a slightly higher fee than a conventional registration. Critics of anonymous domains argue that they can create a safety threat and nuisance as spam domains, while others argue that they may serve an important function for people concerned about safety and security online.

The level of anonymity available can vary depending on the domain registrar. In some cases, people register the domain through a proxy that retains their information and will provide it on request. The domain is anonymous in the sense that a casual look-up of domain information online will not provide the necessary information, but it is obtainable by contacting the proxy. Other proxies take anonymity more seriously, and in some cases create layers of security so they don't even know the identity of the real site owner, and thus cannot disclose this information.

Internet users may want to register as an anonymous domain because of concerns about spam and unwanted contact sent to them.
Internet users may want to register as an anonymous domain because of concerns about spam and unwanted contact sent to them.

Internet users may want to register an anonymous domain because of concerns about spam and unwanted contact sent to the contact information associated with the domain. Others may have personal safety concerns; activists, for example, may not want contact information circulating because this could expose them to risks. Anonymity may be a particular concern in nations with repressive regimes, where critics of government policies and social issues may become targets, unless they can safely conceal their identities.

Website owners can request domain privacy service at the time of the domain's registration or it can be added later.
Website owners can request domain privacy service at the time of the domain's registration or it can be added later.

One disadvantage to an anonymous domain is that it can be used to distribute spam, malicious software, and other harmful or irritating materials with minimal consequences for the owner. While it is possible to take action against the registrar and the host, this can take time, and the spammer can move on to another anonymous domain after losing the first. Critics of anonymous domain registration argue that most of these sites are nuisances, and that the legitimate reasons for needing anonymity are so limited that they could be better met in other ways.

People seeking anonymous domain registration may want to do their research carefully if true anonymity is desired. They should determine what kind of information a registrar collects, and when it might release that information. The location of hosting can also be important, as some hosts may be legally obliged to surrender information, while others can operate more autonomously and can resist subpoenas and other demands for information.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

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Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

clintflint

I'm really torn about these kinds of issues. On the one hand it would be really nice to be able to just inhabit the internet without having to worry about spam and malicious attacks from people who know they don't have to worry about their domain giving them away.

On the other hand, I really believe in the right to privacy and I think that the government is slipping dangerously close to the point where they will go full Big Brother on us and start monitoring everyone at every time.

It reminds me of that saying about how people who give up their freedom in order to achieve safety don't deserve either of those things. And it seems like that's the difficulty, because it's so hard to police the web without constricting it with lots of laws that will make it a smaller and less diverse space.

And, I suppose the other point is that many of the people who are the problems to begin with will just ignore the laws anyway.

Fa5t3r

@indigomoth - The interesting thing about that is that often what gives someone away has more to do with their activities than some kind of hacker technique that finds them through the computer wires.

People tend to use very easy passwords, even on sensitive information and they might go to all the trouble to get a private domain name and then accidentally write something with a local flavor that pinpoints where in the world they live.

indigomoth

I think to be truly anonymous you'd have to go with someone who couldn't give away your identity even if they wanted to. Even Google has to give out information to the police or the government if they are asked to through the legal system and I doubt a small proxy company is going to resist that kind of inquiry for very long.

You'd also have to make sure that it wasn't possible for people to figure out your origin by another method. I don't know much about computers or the way these things work, but I'm sure there are all kinds of ways to find the people behind internet domains when necessary.

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    • Internet users may want to register as an anonymous domain because of concerns about spam and unwanted contact sent to them.
      By: lichtmeister
      Internet users may want to register as an anonymous domain because of concerns about spam and unwanted contact sent to them.
    • Website owners can request domain privacy service at the time of the domain's registration or it can be added later.
      By: Dmitry Strizhakov
      Website owners can request domain privacy service at the time of the domain's registration or it can be added later.