Dotster, Inc., an ICANN accredited domain registrar, today announced that it will continue to shield the e-mail addresses of all its domain registration customers from the ICANN mandated public Whois database at no cost.

ICANN requires registrars to maintain a public database (dubbed 'Whois') of all registered domains, which displays the name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the individual or organization who has registered the domain. Spammers and marketers use this database and primarily e-mail information without the owners' knowledge or permission. Dotster said that the abuse of the database was a primary reason for its actions.

"Shielding our domain owners' real e-mail addresses eliminates the risks of domain-related spam. Spam isn't just annoying-it can lead to major problems for our customers. That risk is serious enough to warrant Dotster giving all of our customers our SpamShield service for free. In an era when privacy is so critical, we need to make sure it's affordable. Dotster wants to make sure that cost isn't a barrier to consumer privacy protection," said George DeCarlo, Vice President of marketing.

Dotster also announced that it is offering complete Whois privacy for $2.99 per year.