Your contact information is protected at the registration of your domain name.
WHOIS privacy is a service that allows domain registrants to hide their personal or organizational contact information from appearing in the public WHOIS database. This helps ensure privacy and protection from spam or other unwanted solicitations.
When you register a domain name you need to provide an email, a physical address, a phone number, and other personal information. All this information was public before the GDPR implementation.
WHOIS databases serve as directories containing the registration details of domain name holders, traditionally making this information publicly accessible unless privacy measures are implemented.
Due to GDPR implementation, the registrant's contact information is redacted in the public Whois and shows placeholder data to protect your privacy.
However, certain domains, such as .us domains, have specific registry policies requiring public visibility of contact information. These rules highlight that GDPR is just one factor influencing WHOIS privacy, alongside domain-specific regulations.