Who registers a domain name?¶
A domain is registered through an account with a registrar or reseller. The recorded registrant may be connected to the domain, but registration records do not automatically identify the person who operated the website or carried out the activity.
Roles involved¶
The registrant may be:
- an individual or business;
- an employee;
- a web developer or agency;
- a privacy or proxy service; or
- another intermediary.
The person who completed the registration may also have acted for somebody else.
What registration records may show¶
Depending on the provider and relevant period, records may include:
- account and contact details;
- payment information;
- email addresses and telephone numbers;
- IP addresses and access history;
- support communications;
- changes to domain settings; and
- transfers or renewals.
These records can create valuable lines of enquiry.
Ask precise questions¶
Do not ask only, “Who owns this domain?” Ask instead:
- Who held the registration account at the relevant time?
- Who paid for it?
- Which contact details were supplied?
- Which accounts or connections accessed or changed it?
- Were resellers or privacy services involved?
- Did control change before or after the event?
The current registrant may not have controlled the domain during the relevant period.
Keep registration evidence separate from evidence about hosting, publishing, payments and individual use.
Key takeaway
Registration records may connect a domain to accounts, payments and access events. They require corroboration before they are attributed to the website operator or offender.