The Internet is the go-to place for people looking for information. As of 2018, 55.1% of the global population already had access to it. However, this vast resource comes with its own weaknesses.

How the GDPR affect the ICANN and, respectively, the WHOIS database and how it would be possible to check domain information if it was even possible at all.

WHOIS is an inquiry and responding protocol extensively operated to query the database and storage of internet resource users and to block IP addresses. The program is also used for other data related protocols such as domain name and routed IP prefixes.

A business that doesn’t know its competitors, partners, or possible threats could be missing a lot of opportunities. It is therefore best to be proactive in getting information about them — including their domain registration details, the visual evolution of their website, and social media hits.

With the implementation of the GDPR regulations, domain registrars may no longer offer the registrant information public and put an end to the WHOIS database.