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Whois information copyrighted

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the no-you-can't-have-it dept.

Jonas Öberg writes "It appears as if Network Solutions fairly recently put in a clause at the end of all whois requests, telling you that you're not allowed to reproduce, sell, transfer or modify the information. See whois slashdot.org for an example. " I've seen this before-can anyone tell us when this first started?

2 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. It used to be public domain by |DaBuzz| · · Score: 5

    When I complained to Internic about spam I was receiving due to their database being mined and sold, I was told that there was nothing that could be done because the information was in the public domain.

    Now when their monopoly is threatened, they take ownership of the data and how it's used ... how convenient.

  2. NSI cannot copyright the Whois database. by doogieh · · Score: 5

    In 1991, the Supreme Court decided that the factual content of phone directories are NOT copyrightable. (see Feist Publications, 499 US 340)

    There is little difference between a phone book entry and a whois entry; they may be able to copyright the FORM of the database, but the INFORMATION is useable by all.