You might remember the expression, "on the Internet nobody knows that you are a dog" — referring to the ability of people to communicate anonymously in Cyberspace. Well, it is one thing for people to use pseudonyms in chat rooms or on Internet bulletin boards, but it is a whole other thing when we learn that many domain names have been registered with false or incomplete contact information.

Domain name contact information is publicly available on the Internet through a service called Whois. Why is this important? Accurate contact data in the Whois service can help identity the originators of email spam, it can assist in the resolution of technical network issues, and perhaps most importantly, it can support law enforcement efforts with respect to the investigation of online fraud and intellectual property infringement.

And now the kicker — the General Accountability Office (GAO), in a recent study of the Whois service for .com, .org, and .net domains, has concluded that a whopping 2.31 million domains names (5.14%) have been registered with patently false data. On top of that, the GAO has found that 1.64 million domain names (3.65%) have been registered with incomplete data.

Bottom line, when going to a Web site, and worse, when potentially doing business through a Web site, you may have some difficulty tracking down any perpetrators who may do you wrong.

Last week, with respect to holiday online shopping, this column provided guidance designed to avoid identity theft and other Internet horribles. This recent GAO study underscores the need for care, and highlights the need to make Internet purchases from known Web sites, those with TRUSTe or Better Business Bureau seals, and those whose WHOis data appears accurate and complete.

Be careful out there!

Biography

Eric Sinrod is a partner in the San Francisco office of Duane Morris. His focus includes information technology and intellectual property disputes. To receive his weekly columns, send an e-mail to with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line.

Disclaimer: This column is prepared and published for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author's law firm or its individual partners.

Reprinted with permission of Findlaw.com