document: title: data protection, release & privacy statements
text:   
Data Protection, Release & Privacy Statements

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Data Protection

Nominet is registered with the Information Commissioner to process personal data, and we are required to abide by the data protection principles which are based on a European Union Directive and which seek to ensure a high level of protection for personal data throughout the European Economic Area (i.e. the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Note that data which is not about individuals is not protected in this way.

You may write to us to request a copy of the personal data held by us about you. We may charge a reasonable fee for the provision of such data. As required by the Data Protection Act 1998, we will adopt appropriate security procedures in relation to the storage and disclosure of information provided by you in order to prevent unauthorised access. Our security procedures mean that we may occasionally request proof of your identity before we are able to disclose personal information to you. Other than the uses identified below, we will not disclose your personal information to others. 

Registrants of a .uk Domain Name

If you register a Domain Name under the .uk top level domain, you are subject to our terms and conditions. Clause 11 of those terms and conditions sets out how we will process your data, which includes; publishing your details on the register, posting information on the WHOIS database (subject only to a consumer opt-out), using the information in the Public Register Subscription Service (or any successor or replacement service); and providing information to third parties with a legitimate reason to know that information (e.g. your Tag Holder, if you have registered via one).

You should be aware that personal data posted on the WHOIS database may be accessible to countries outside the European Economic Area. By registering a Domain Name you consent to your personal data being transferred out of the European Economic Area and to our use of your personal data for the purposes specified above.

From 11 January 2005 where data about a registration, in excess of that available by inspection of WHOIS and/or PRSS, is passed by Nominet to a third party, then Nominet shall inform the registrant by email at the registrant's email contact address if any (or if no such address exists, Nominet shall use reasonable endeavours to use an alternative contact mechanism) of the identity of the third party and the information passed to that third party.  This shall not apply:

(a) where the passing of such information is prohibited by law

(b) where it has been, prior to the passing of such information, shown by the third party, to Nominet's reasonable satisfaction, that there is a very substantial likelihood that the rights of others will be damaged by disclosing the fact that such information has been passed, or that law enforcement would be prejudiced.

Members & Tag Holders

Nominet is a company limited by guarantee. This means that we do not have shareholders, but we do have members. Nominet therefore holds information about its members which it uses for administration and fulfilling our obligations to members.

'Tag Holders' is the name that Nominet gives to various organisations (including many ISPs) who it permits to directly register, administer and maintain domain names, on behalf of Registrants. Nominet holds information on its Tag Holders and this information may be available to the public if they request it.

Cookies & IP Addresses

Nominet UK does not use cookies. We will use IP address information both anonymously to track traffic flows and on a named basis to confirm user identities in relation to controlling system abuse and the security of our computer systems.