Global Name Registry, the Registry operator for the .NAME top level domain, today announced the release of "WHOIS II" in a move to protect personal information online.

Global Name Registry (GNR) is the license operator of .name top-level domain (gTLD) for individuals, approved by ICANN in November 2000. The .NAME 'WHOIS II' service will offer enhanced privacy for registrants by removing all personal details from the open WHOIS service. According to the company, GNR is the first gTLD Registry to offer a WHOIS service of this nature. GNR expects to have completely phased in WHOIS II by the end of the year.

"I am very pleased that we now will be able to offer Registrants on .NAME the increased privacy they, as individuals, deserve. We are committed to making .NAME into the global internet space for individuals and WHOIS II is an integral part of that task," said Geir Rasmussen, CEO of Global Name Registry.

"The global WHOIS infrastructure is currently an open source of email addresses being used by spammers. WHOIS II effectively puts all WHOIS information out of reach of spammers and will make .NAME more spam resistant than any other gTLD. In effect, WHOIS II complements the existing services offered by the Registrars offering .NAME, such as private registrations, identity protection services and spam filters," said Hakon Haugnes, President of GNR.