BLUF

As we increasingly access websites for business, research, and information, we need new tools like Whols to authenticate these websites.

Summary

Many companies depend on the web for information about products, etc. But how do we know whether a web site is legitimate? John Kennedy, Editor at Popular Science, recommends turning to the specialised 'WhoIs lookup tool maintained by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The WhoIs search function can find information about who is responsible for the site. With site authenticity established, you can make a more informed decision on the credibility of the site. This information might help you determine whether it is worth doing business with the company behind the webpage. Sometimes it is not easy to assess a web page's academic value; see  Evaluating Internet Information. When conducting online research, 'WhoIs' might help you check the credibility of an organisation behind a particular web page. Consider how useful you think this tool might be to your organisation.

Find out more about checking domain names

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