Section 05 · Proxy Services

Proxy registration: when someone else is the registrant on paper

With a proxy service, the provider becomes the registrant of record and licenses use of the domain to you. On paper, someone else holds the name. That arrangement can make sense for people who need distance between their identity and a site, and many reputable registrars offer it.

It also means your control of the domain depends on the provider's terms, its stability and how it handles disputes, transfers and abuse complaints. This section covers the questions to settle before relying on a proxy: who is listed as the registrant, what the agreement says about disclosure, how a transfer works when the registrant isn't you, and what happens if the provider shuts down or is suspended.

We also look at proxies from the other side, for businesses dealing with impersonation sites registered through them, and at how abuse reports reach the right party. Our line stays the same: proxies are legitimate tools, not a way around accountability.