Private registration hides your real name, address, and email from the public WHOIS database by substituting a registrar-owned proxy contact instead. Registrars act as the listed owner; you stay invisible to strangers, spammers, and hostile actors.
This is the standard privacy tool. ICANN requires registrars to offer it; most charge extra. bunkerdomains includes it free on all domains.
Why it matters: WHOIS scraping bots harvest registrant data for spam, harassment, phishing, and physical targeting. Private registration stops the casual attack. Law enforcement and courts can still obtain your real details through proper legal channels—privacy registration doesn't stop subpoenas, just public exposure.
Common use: journalists protecting sources, activists in hostile regions, privacy-conscious businesses, anyone who doesn't want their home address published online.
Limitations: Some registries (CCTLD, certain gTLDs) mandate public registrant data despite privacy requests. Some registrars keep poor records or fold under pressure. Private registration is a speed bump, not a wall. For serious anonymity, pair it with anonymous registration and crypto payment.