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Comment by SOLAR_FIELDS | Hacker News Reader

Except that if you read the article the reporters confirmed that a guy by that name lived at that apartment complex by asking the neighbors. There’s no guarantee that the person who registered is actually the person who lives there but someone answers to that name at the address provided apparently.

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Again, I wouldn’t be so sure. It’s a useful practice to use real people’s info for precisely situations like this.

Step 1) register foo.com Step 2) make email address John.doe@foo.com Step 3) register bar.com using John.doe@foo.com as contact info. Include contact info for John Doe with a real address and random phone number

This meets Whois requirements and makes it a bit harder for any real lookups. It’s easier than providing wholly fake info because journalists will Lee dogging. When journalists contact John Doe who denies owning bar.com then they will work it like an uncooperative subject.

> Whois requirements

Are there any? My street name is literally "private" and my phone number "000..." or something like that.

"Because registration data connects individuals or organizations with domain names, domain name registrants are required to provide accurate and reliable contact details. If the domain name registrant knowingly provides inaccurate information, fails to update information within seven days of any change, or does not respond within 15 days to an inquiry about accuracy, the domain name may be suspended or cancelled." - ICANN (https://whois.icann.org/en/primer#field-section-3)

You can just take address/phone book and point at a random lucky guy and register as him.

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