WHOIS is a protocol which makes it possible to view the details a particular domain has been registered with through a command line or with the help of special web-based lookup sites. This info includes the names, address and e-mail address of the owner, admin, technical and billing persons along with the registrar business the domain name has been obtained through, the creation and expiration dates. Aside from some country-code TLDs that have specific limitations, the WHOIS details of any domain name can be changed freely at any time, which is quite important considering that in line with the policies of the top-level Internet Corporation, ICANN, all details ought to be current and legitimate at all times. Failing to comply with these policies may result in losing the ownership of a domain address and in some cases a domain name might even be deleted from the Domain Name System and released for free registration.