Whois Access Policy

This Policy (“Policy”) defines the Data Publication Service (Whois) as required by ICANN in the Registry Agreement. Interlink Co., Ltd. (“Registry Operator”) is required to collect and provide domain name registration information (“Whois Data”) for a variety of purposes.

The Registry provides Thick Whois access to Whois Data through a standard text-based network protocol on Port 43. Whois Data can also be accessed on the Registry’s website using a standard web interface at www.nic.earth. Both interfaces are publicly available at no cost to the user and are reachable worldwide. This service is available to any Internet user and the use of such service does not require prior authorization or permission.

Interlink Co., Ltd., the Registry Operator (“Registry”) for .earth, has collected this information for the WHOIS database through an ICANN-Accredited Registrar. This information is provided to you for informational purposes only and is designed to assist persons in determining contents of a domain name registration record in the .earth registry database. Registry makes this information available to you “as is” and does not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a WHOIS query, you agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no circumstances, will you use this data:

1. to allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by telephone;
2. in contravention of any applicable data and privacy protection acts;
3. to enable high volume, automated, electronic processes that apply to the registry (or its systems). Compilation, repackaging, dissemination, or other use of the WHOIS database in its entirety, or of a substantial portion thereof, is not allowed without Registry’s prior written permission.

Registry reserves the right to modify or change these conditions at any time without prior or subsequent notification of any kind. By executing this query, in any manner whatsoever, you agree to abide by these terms.

NOTE: FAILURE TO LOCATE A RECORD IN THE WHOIS DATABASE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF A DOMAIN NAME.

Abuse of the Registry’s Whois system through data mining is mitigated by detecting and limiting bulk query access from single sources. Such queries by non-authorized parties will be limited and unauthorized queries may result in responses that do not include data sets representing significant portions of the registration database.

The Registry will employ a blacklist to block access to Whois Data by those found to violate this Policy or any Registry policy. At the Registry’s sole and complete discretion, individual Internet protocol (“IP”) addresses or IP ranges may be blocked from accessing Whois Data.

When using the Registry Operator’s Whois service, consider the following:

• The Whois service is not a replacement for standard EPP commands;
• Whois Data is not considered authoritative for registered domain objects;
• The Whois service may be scheduled for downtime during production or operation, 
testing and evaluation maintenance periods.
• Queries to the Whois service may be “throttled” that is, if too many queries are received from a single IP address within a specified time, the service will begin to reject further queries for a period of time to prevent disruption of Whois service access).

Information regarding the Registry’s searchable Whois service is available on its website at www.nic.earth.

Accredited registrars may elect to offer Privacy and Proxy Services for registrations in the .earth TLD. In such an event, registrars must ensure that the actual WHOIS data is obtained from the registrant and must maintain accurate records of such data. Registrars shall maintain compliance with any future specifications of Privacy and Proxy Services developed by ICANN.

In the event that the registration information collected is masked by privacy or proxy services, registrars must provide Law Enforcement Agencies (“LEA”) with the actual WHOIS data upon receipt of a verified request in order to establish liability for all actions in relation to a domain name.

In addition, where a domain name is removed from the root zone, the domain name record may still appear in the gTLD WHOIS database so that the name and entities can be investigated by LEA should they elect to become involved.