GoDaddy Warns India Court Ruling on Domain Privacy Could Reshape Global Internet

GoDaddy is raising alarms over a Delhi High Court ruling that would strip default privacy protections from domain buyers, warning the order could fundamentally undermine internet privacy far beyond India's borders. The domain registrar is appealing the decision, with a hearing scheduled for July 16.

India's internet population surged from 15 percent of its 1.46 billion residents in 2015 to 70 percent in 2025, according to Our World In Data. That rapid growth has made the country a prime target for online fraud. The National Technical Research Organization reported identifying more than 1,100 phishing domains in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

What the Delhi High Court Ruling Requires

The court, which sits below the Supreme Court of India, ruled late last year that domain registrars can no longer offer WHOIS privacy as a default option. Instead, buyers must manually opt in and may face an additional fee. The ruling also mandates Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, requiring registrars to collect government-issued IDs or other identifying documents. If law enforcement or courts request information about a domain owner, registrars must provide it within 72 hours.

• WHOIS privacy can no longer be the default; buyers must actively choose it.
• Registrars must implement KYC checks, collecting government ID documents.
• Domain owner data must be handed over to authorities within 72 hours of a request.

The measures are intended to protect trademark owners from spoofed sites and typo-squatters, and to help the public avoid falling for scam domains. Major American companies have pushed Indian courts to block fraudulent sites, and the Delhi High Court responded by placing the burden on registrars.

Global Implications and GoDaddy's Appeal

GoDaddy argues that because domain names are not region-restricted and can be accessed anywhere, the ruling could force registrars to apply the same restrictions globally. Simple WHOIS lookup tools would reveal a domain owner's name, address, phone number, and email address, erasing a key privacy safeguard that has been standard for years. The company is appealing the order, and the Delhi High Court is expected to hear its objections on July 16. The outcome could set a precedent for how other countries approach domain privacy and fraud prevention, potentially reshaping the balance between transparency and anonymity on the internet.