About Domain Privacy

3 min read
Every registered domain name is listed in the WHOIS database. When purchasing a new domain, or transferring it to your Wix account, you have the option of selecting Private Registration.
EU (European Union) users are entitled to have some of their contact details hidden in accordance with GDPR
Important:
The information in this article only applies to you when Wix is your registrar. If your domain is registered under a different registrar, even if purchased with Wix as a reseller, other terms may apply to you.

Private registration

Private registration, with Wix as your registrar, allows you to keep your personal information in WHOIS private. By choosing this option, all of your personal details are replaced with Wix's details and are not disclosed in public WHOIS databases. 
In addition, alternative email address (e.g. example.com@wix-domains.com) and voice telephone number replace your details and refer any person who is trying to contact you (except for ICANN) to a dedicated online form, minimizing spam.
If needed, you can always turn this option off temporarily (e.g. if you wish to transfer the domain). 
Note:
To enable private registration for your Wix domain, you must extend your domain for at least one additional year.

Private registration safeguards you against:

Identity theft
Just as you may protect your banking information, address, or phone number, it is also important to keep your personal information private. Private registration helps to protect against malicious attacks that seek to steal your information.
Unwanted solicitations
If your personal information is available on WHOIS it is also easily accessible to telemarketers, spammers, and scam artists. 
Domain hijacking
Private registration, with Wix as your registrar, helps protect against those who seek to purchase your domain name. Domain names can be very valuable and, as a result, you may be harassed with attempts to purchase your domain. 
Important:
  • Private registration does not guarantee protection from spammers. Listing your personal details (e.g. email address) on your site might also put you at risk. We recommend using a contact form instead of sharing your details on your site. 
  • Private registration does not protect you in cases where the disclosure of your details is required under applicable law. 

Public registration

If you have selected Public Registration when setting up your new domain or newly transferred domain, your personal information is available on WHOIS. 
As your registrar, Wix automatically lists an alternative email address (e.g. example.com@wix-domains.com) and a phone number, which refers any person who is trying to contact you (except for ICANN) to a dedicated online form, minimizing spam.
The remainder of your identity and contact information is publicly available, unless you purchase private registration. Users from the EU are entitled to have some of their personal details hidden under GDPR, as further detailed below.
The generic phone number and email are currently only available for newly purchased or newly transferred domains. Domains that were previously purchased or transferred appear in WHOIS with all personal information, including your phone number and email.

Users from the EU

Under GDPR, most personal details of users located in the EU do not appear in the public WHOIS records. An alternative email address (e.g. example.com@wix-domains.com) and a voice telephone number replace such users' contact details and refer any person who is trying to contact them (except for ICANN) to a dedicated online form. 
The only information that appears publicly about users from the EU is their country, state/province, and organization. EU users who opt for private registration will also have their entire personal details hidden from the public WHOIS databases.
Note:
Personal information, such as the EU user's name, address, and email, may still be disclosed to third parties with legitimate interest (which is determined by the domain registrar) or as otherwise required under applicable law. 

Top level domain endings (TLDs) that don't support private registration

The following Top Level domain endings do not currently support private registration.
  • ca
  • co.uk
  • com.au
  • com.br
  • de
  • fr
  • london
  • mx
  • tokyo
  • in
  • co.in
  • firm.in
  • gen.in
  • ind.in
  • net.in
  • org.in
  • be
  • ch
  • nl
  • at
  • co.at
  • or.at
  • it

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