WHOIS was originally a technical feature which allowed Internet pioneers to contact each other, for example, when something wasn't working. Over the years it has also become used for a number of purposes, including secure-server verification as well as rights and law-enforcement and tracking down spammers.

However unfortunately it is also used by some for undesirable purposes such as cyberstalking, wholesale breach of data protection laws such as spamming. Our WHOIS policy which has been developed in consultation with the Data Protection Commissioner is intended to balance such competing legitimate expections.

A large part of WHOIS data is classed as Personal Data within the meaning of European Data Protection Law. For more information see our information on Data Protection.

Our Terms and Conditions (section 14) refer to WHOIS as follows: 'You agree that we may disclose some or all of the information we hold about you or your registration(s), including publishing such information on the Internet by (among other methods) putting it on a publicly accessible website, or allowing access via a Port 43 ('WHOIS') server or similar mechanisms.

By registering and continuing to use your domain you confirm that you have give your informed consent to such disclosure(s).

We will tell you the extent of any such publication, and may give you an opportunity to have some or all of your data withheld from publication. This will be documented in a Publication Scheme for registration data, which we shall make available on request, and will publish on our website.'

(You can find the Publication Scheme here.)