Domain Magnate

WHOIS: Protecting the Privacy of Domain Name Holders

CIRA is implementing changes to the dot-ca WHOIS search tool, effective June 10, 2008.

WHOIS is a common Internet search tool used to look up the contact information of domain name holders (Registrants). A search returns information such as name, address, phone and fax numbers, and email address. While WHOIS has been used since the inception of the Internet, recent concerns over privacy necessitated a re-evaluation of what information is publicly available in the dot-ca (.ca) WHOIS.

In January 2004, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) took effect in Canada. This Federal law provides guidelines for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by private organizations. Under this act, the situations where an organization can disclose an individual’s personal information are strictly limited and require consent. read more »

Currently there are 990,000 .ca domains registered according to cira.ca.

With current registration rates we could hit a million within a couple weeks, or a month.

Meanwhile .ca prices are going up quickly. LL.ca market values are already at the point where few end users can afford the and LLL.ca selling for $100+ on drops.

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) today launches its campaign to celebrate the registration of one million dot-ca domain names with the unveiling of a campaign website at onemilliondomains.ca. CIRA expects to reach the one million milestone in early April 2008 after passing 750,000 registrations just 18 months prior in October 2006. The campaign showcases the growth of dot-ca domain names, dot-ca websites and the Canadians behind them. read more »