When you register a domain name, something most people don’t realize happens automatically: your name, address, phone number, and email address become part of a public directory called the WHOIS database.
Anyone in the world can look it up. And many do.
What Is the WHOIS Directory?
WHOIS is a public record system maintained by domain registries. When a domain is registered, the registrant’s contact information is required by ICANN — the organization that oversees domain names globally — and that information is stored in a publicly searchable database.
That means if you registered your church’s domain, your volunteer coordinator’s name and personal phone number might be publicly listed right now. If you registered a domain for your small business from your home address, that address could be searchable by anyone online.
You can check what’s listed for your domain anytime using our free WHOIS lookup tool.
Why This Matters for Churches and Small Businesses
Churches and nonprofits often have volunteers registering domains on behalf of the organization. That means a volunteer’s personal contact information — not the church’s — ends up in the public record. When that person moves on, updates contact information, or simply doesn’t want their personal details online, there’s a problem.
Small business owners working from home face the same issue. A home address listed publicly in the WHOIS database is a privacy concern that most people don’t discover until they’re already getting spam calls and unsolicited mail.
Domain privacy protection replaces your personal information in the WHOIS record with generic contact information. Your domain is still registered in your name. You still own it completely. But the publicly searchable record no longer exposes your personal details.
Free Privacy Protection on Every Cyber Grapes Domain
At Cyber Grapes, every domain registered or transferred to us includes free Privacy Protection — permanently. Your name, address, phone number, and email are redacted from the WHOIS directory for as long as you hold the domain.
You don’t have to opt in. You don’t have to pay extra. It’s included as a standard part of every domain registration and domain transfer.
Many domain registrars charge $10 to $20 per year for privacy protection. We include it free because we believe your personal information shouldn’t be public record just because you have a website.
Is Your Domain Already Exposed?
If you registered your domain somewhere else and haven’t added privacy protection, your contact information is likely public right now.
You have two options. Add privacy protection through your current registrar — which often costs extra. Or transfer your domain to Cyber Grapes and get permanent privacy protection included at no additional charge, along with our support resources and product ecosystem.
Transferring a domain is straightforward and doesn’t affect your website or email in most cases. We can walk you through it.
A Simple Step With Real Benefits
Domain privacy is one of those things that’s easy to overlook because most people don’t know they need it until they’re already getting spam calls or finding their home address online.
If you’re starting fresh, register with Cyber Grapes and it’s already taken care of. If you’re coming from somewhere else, a domain transfer puts it in place going forward.
- Register a new domain with free privacy protection
- Transfer your existing domain and get privacy included
- Look up your domain in the WHOIS directory
- Questions? Contact us or call 719-767-7754