How do you check who owns a website?

To check who owns a website used to be very easy. Every website has a domain name, for example, the 'companiesintheuk.co.uk' part of this website.

Traditional WHOIS Lookup: Historically, you could perform a WHOIS lookup to find:

• Registrant name and organization
• Contact addresses
• Phone numbers and emails
• Registration and expiry dates

GDPR Changes (May 2018): The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) significantly changed domain privacy:

• Personal information is now redacted by default
• Only limited technical information remains public
• Legitimate interests may still access full data through registrars

Current Methods to Identify Website Owners:

1. Website Content:
   • Check 'About Us' or 'Contact' pages
   • Look for company registration numbers
   • Review Terms & Conditions or Privacy Policy
   • Check footer information
2. Legal Requirements (UK businesses must display):
   • Company name and number
   • Registered office address
   • VAT number (if applicable)
3. Technical Checks:
   • SSL certificate details (may show organization)
   • Limited WHOIS data (registrar, dates, nameservers)
   • Reverse IP lookup (other sites on same server)
4. Business Registers:
   • Search Companies House if UK limited company
   • Check trademark databases
   • Industry-specific registers
5. Third-Party Tools:
   • Web archive services
   • Business directories
   • Social media profiles

Warning Signs:

• No company information displayed
• Hidden or privacy-protected WHOIS
• No physical address
• Generic email addresses only

For e-commerce sites, UK law requires clear identification of the trader, making anonymous commercial websites illegal.