Who is the domain registrant?¶
The registrant is the person or organisation recorded as holding the registration rights for a domain. That role may create a valuable line of enquiry, but it does not automatically identify the website operator or offender.
What the role means¶
The registrant is generally the customer in whose name the domain was registered. It may be:
- a business or individual;
- an employee;
- an agency or developer;
- a parent company; or
- a privacy or proxy service.
The registrant may have obtained the domain for somebody else. Details may also be false, outdated, stolen or incomplete.
Registration is not operation¶
Even where the registrant information is accurate, different people may:
- manage the domain;
- host the website;
- publish the content;
- administer user accounts; and
- receive the proceeds.
Control may also have changed since the relevant event.
For that reason, record “registrant” as a specific role. Do not silently translate it into “owner”, “operator” or “offender”.
Look behind the visible name¶
Useful records may include:
- the account used for registration;
- payment and verification material;
- contact details;
- support communications;
- login history;
- nameserver changes; and
- transfers or renewals.
Compare those records with evidence from hosting, publishing, devices, accounts, communications and payments.
Accurate wording might be: “The domain was registered through an account in this name.” That is different from saying the named person ran the website.
Key takeaway
The registrant is the recorded holder of the domain registration. Establish who controlled and used the website through the wider evidence.