WHOIS is a protocol that makes it possible to view the details a given domain name has been registered with through a command line or through the use of special web-based lookup websites. This information includes the names, address and email address of the owner, administrator, tech and billing persons in addition to the registrar company the domain name has been purchased through, the creation and expiration dates. Except for a few country-code TLDs that have specific limitations, the WHOIS details of any domain address can be changed freely anytime, which is quite important since in accordance with the policies of the top-level Internet Corporation, ICANN, all details have to be current and legitimate at all times. Failing to comply with these policies may lead to losing the ownership of a domain and in some cases a domain name might even be removed from the Domain Name System and released for free registration.