AboutUs hasn't finished checking this site yet — the live checks below are current; more details appear as we crawl it.
about.com
Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is about.com legit or a scam?
about.com was registered Mar 12, 1999 (27 years old), per public registration records. AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns about.com?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for about.com. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
When was about.com registered?
about.com's registration dates to Mar 12, 1999 (27 years old), per public registration records. MarkMonitor Inc. is the registrar on record today.
Authority 89/100— ahead of 89% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
89 is a percentile: higher than 89% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #2,112)+10
Verified continuity: 27.6 years (RDAP registration)+11
Security & email hygiene+5
Calibration adjustment (published map)+19
Model score: 45/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 89/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
Safety evidence
No unexpired threat-feed result; name-similarity check available (recorded about 1 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 1 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
What about.com said about itself, 2006–2007
Quoted from the site's AboutUs wiki page in each year it changed (2 versions). These are the page's own words at the time, not AboutUs's assessment. New words · dropped words
2006
Each month more than 29 million people visit About.com. About.com was founded in 1996 (as the Mining Company). with a simple premise, that people are the best Guides to the Internet. In 2001, About, Inc. was acquired by PRIMEDIA Inc. In 2005 About, Inc.
2007
About.com was founded in 1996 as a website content developer company. This was taken over by The New York Time Company in March 2005. It is the leader amongst all the content developer sites on the Internet. It offers about 1.5 million 100% original articles on various topics grouped into 22 categories, which are called channels.rewritten
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date; self-description below is the 2014 record.
1999
Domain registered (Mar 12, 1999).
2006
First tracked by AboutUs (Jun 19, 2006); profile edited 43 times through 2014.
✓ domain continuity 27 years registered✓ live verified Nov 2, 2026
No caution flags in the available scoring observations; this is not a complete safety assessment
Lifeline · about.com over time
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
Registered 27 years ago · on AboutUs since 2006 · 2 registrar changes since May 11, 2007 · 1 registrant change since 2007 · last checked Nov 1, 2026.
Registration
RegisteredMar 12, 1999about.com was registered on Mar 12, 1999.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageAboutUs wiki pageJun 19, 2006 – Mar 29, 2014An AboutUs wiki page described about.com from Jun 19, 2006 to Mar 29, 2014 (43 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Registrar
REGISTER.COM, INC.May 11, 2007 – Jul 15, 2007Registrar REGISTER.COM, INC. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for about.com, from May 11, 2007 to Jul 15, 2007.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)CSC Corporate Domains, Inc.CSC Corporate Domains, Inc.
Registrant
Registrant recordsMay 11, 2007 – Jun 18, 2026Registration records for about.com are held from May 11, 2007 to Jun 18, 2026 (2,266 records). 1 change of registrant name or organization is marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Zone file
Nameservers: about.comNameservers: about.comMay 11, 2007 – Oct 17, 2013Registration records listed about.com nameservers (nydns1.about.com, nydns2.about.com, sjdns1.about.com…) for about.com from May 11, 2007 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Certificate
GlobalSign nv-saJun 18, 2025 – Jul 20, 2026GlobalSign nv-sa issued 1 certificate for about.com from Jun 18, 2025, the latest valid until Jul 20, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)AmazonAmazon
200020102020Jan ’26Oct ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (27)
Mar 12, 1999Registration: about.com was registered on Mar 12, 1999.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Jun 19, 2006 – Mar 29, 2014AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described about.com from Jun 19, 2006 to Mar 29, 2014 (43 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Jul 1, 2006AboutUs record: “Each month more than 29 million people visit About.com. About.com was founded in 1996 (as the Mining Company). with a simple premise, that people are the best Guides to the Internet. In 2001, About, Inc. was acquired by…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
May 11, 2007 – Jul 15, 2007Registrar: Registrar REGISTER.COM, INC. in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for about.com, from May 11, 2007 to Jul 15, 2007.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
May 11, 2007 – Jun 18, 2026Registrant: Registration records for about.com are held from May 11, 2007 to Jun 18, 2026 (2,266 records). 1 change of registrant name or organization is marked. Privacy-service and redaction changes, renames of the same organization and new contacts at it are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
May 11, 2007 – Oct 17, 2013
Said about itself in 2006
Jul 1, 2006
“Each month more than 29 million people visit About.com. About.com was founded in 1996 (as the Mining Company). with a simple premise, that people are the best Guides to the Internet. In 2001, About, Inc. was acquired by…”
Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Said about itself in 2007Jul 1, 2007“About.com was founded in 1996 as a website content developer company. This was taken over by The New York Time Company in March 2005. It is the leader amongst all the content developer sites on the Internet. It offers a…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2007
Said about itself in 2011Jul 1, 2011“About.com was founded in 1996 as a website content developer company. This was taken over by The New York Time Company in March 2005. It is the leader amongst all the content developer sites on the Internet. It offers a…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2011
Current AboutUs recordJun 18, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 1, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Jul 18, 2007 – Nov 14, 2017
Registrar CSC Corporate Domains, Inc. (IANA 299) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for about.com, from Jul 18, 2007 to Nov 14, 2017.
Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
MarkMonitor, Inc.MarkMonitor, Inc.Nov 21, 2017 – Nov 2, 2026 (latest)Registrar MarkMonitor, Inc. (IANA 292) in the registration data recorded, first on Nov 21, 2017 and most recently on Nov 2, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Registrant changeNov 7, 2023The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Nov 7, 2023. That can be a rename, a new contact or a sale; the record alone does not say which.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
1 registrant change, 2007–2026
Nameservers: about.comOct 18, 2013 – Mar 27, 2015about.com (nydns1.about.com, nydns2.about.com, sjdns1.about.com…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Mar 27, 2015 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: Oracle DynSep 23, 2015 – Apr 1, 2016Oracle Dyn (ns1.p30.dynect.net, ns2.p30.dynect.net, ns3.p30.dynect.net…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Sep 23, 2015 to Apr 1, 2016 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
DNS moved to Oracle DynSep 23, 2015about.com's nameservers moved from about.com to Oracle Dyn at some point between Mar 27, 2015 and Sep 23, 2015. Last seen at about.com: Mar 27, 2015 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). First seen at Oracle Dyn: Sep 23, 2015 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 6 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (ICANN zone-file snapshot → ICANN zone-file snapshot)
Nameservers: Oracle DynJul 12, 2016 – Oct 17, 2016Registration records listed Oracle Dyn nameservers (ns1.p30.dynect.net, ns2.p30.dynect.net, ns3.p30.dynect.net…) for about.com from Jul 12, 2016 to Oct 17, 2016.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nameservers: NS1Oct 21, 2016 – Apr 2, 2018Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) for about.com from Oct 21, 2016 to Apr 2, 2018. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to NS1Oct 21, 2016about.com's nameservers moved from Oracle Dyn to NS1 between Oct 17, 2016 and Oct 21, 2016. Last seen at Oracle Dyn: Oct 17, 2016 (registration record). First seen at NS1: Oct 21, 2016 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Nameservers: NS1Apr 3, 2018NS1 (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Apr 3, 2018 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Nameservers: NS1Nameservers: NS1Apr 4, 2018 – Aug 22, 2025Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) for about.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Aug 22, 2025. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nameservers: foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.orgSep 17, 2025 – Jun 18, 2026Registration records listed foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org nameservers (blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org) for about.com from Sep 17, 2025 to Jun 18, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
DNS moved to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.orgSep 17, 2025about.com's nameservers moved from NS1 to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org between Aug 22, 2025 and Sep 17, 2025. Last seen at NS1: Aug 22, 2025 (registration record). First seen at foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org: Sep 17, 2025 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Seen in the .com zone fileJul 28, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026 (latest)First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Jul 28, 2026; latest sighting Nov 1, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 1, 2026: blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 1, 2026
Jun 28, 2025 – Nov 2, 2026
Amazon issued 28 certificates for about.com from Jun 28, 2025, the latest valid until May 19, 2027.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Let's EncryptApr 9, 2026 – Nov 2, 2026 (latest)Let's Encrypt issued 53 certificates for about.com from Apr 9, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 29, 2027. Seen in use on Oct 19, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (dns.pizza's own certificate-log reader + AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Oct 19, 2026
Google Trust ServicesApr 27, 2026 – Nov 2, 2026Google Trust Services issued 6 certificates for about.com from Apr 27, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 20, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Zone file: Registration records listed about.com nameservers (nydns1.about.com, nydns2.about.com, sjdns1.about.com…) for about.com from May 11, 2007 to Oct 17, 2013. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Jul 1, 2007AboutUs record: “About.com was founded in 1996 as a website content developer company. This was taken over by The New York Time Company in March 2005. It is the leader amongst all the content developer sites on the Internet. It offers a…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2007
Jul 18, 2007 – Nov 14, 2017Registrar: Registrar CSC Corporate Domains, Inc. (IANA 299) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for about.com, from Jul 18, 2007 to Nov 14, 2017.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Jul 1, 2011AboutUs record: “About.com was founded in 1996 as a website content developer company. This was taken over by The New York Time Company in March 2005. It is the leader amongst all the content developer sites on the Internet. It offers a…”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2011
Oct 18, 2013 – Mar 27, 2015Zone file: about.com (nydns1.about.com, nydns2.about.com, sjdns1.about.com…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Oct 18, 2013 to Mar 27, 2015 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Sep 23, 2015 – Apr 1, 2016Zone file: Oracle Dyn (ns1.p30.dynect.net, ns2.p30.dynect.net, ns3.p30.dynect.net…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Sep 23, 2015 to Apr 1, 2016 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Sep 23, 2015Zone file: about.com's nameservers moved from about.com to Oracle Dyn at some point between Mar 27, 2015 and Sep 23, 2015. Last seen at about.com: Mar 27, 2015 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). First seen at Oracle Dyn: Sep 23, 2015 (ICANN zone-file snapshot). AboutUs holds no nameserver records for the 6 months in between, so the date of the move is not known more closely.Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (ICANN zone-file snapshot → ICANN zone-file snapshot)
Jul 12, 2016 – Oct 17, 2016Zone file: Registration records listed Oracle Dyn nameservers (ns1.p30.dynect.net, ns2.p30.dynect.net, ns3.p30.dynect.net…) for about.com from Jul 12, 2016 to Oct 17, 2016.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Oct 21, 2016 – Apr 2, 2018Zone file: Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) for about.com from Oct 21, 2016 to Apr 2, 2018. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Oct 21, 2016Zone file: about.com's nameservers moved from Oracle Dyn to NS1 between Oct 17, 2016 and Oct 21, 2016. Last seen at Oracle Dyn: Oct 17, 2016 (registration record). First seen at NS1: Oct 21, 2016 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Nov 21, 2017 – Nov 2, 2026Registrar: Registrar MarkMonitor, Inc. (IANA 292) in the registration data recorded, first on Nov 21, 2017 and most recently on Nov 2, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Oct 25, 2026
Apr 3, 2018Zone file: NS1 (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) were the nameservers listed for about.com at every ICANN zone-file snapshot AboutUs holds from Apr 3, 2018 to Apr 3, 2018 (snapshots exist for only part of 2013–2018).Source: ICANN zone-file snapshots, 2013–2018 (legacy archive)
Apr 4, 2018 – Aug 22, 2025Zone file: Registration records listed NS1 nameservers (dns1.p05.nsone.net, dns2.p05.nsone.net, dns3.p05.nsone.net…) for about.com from Apr 4, 2018 to Aug 22, 2025. Days a zone file covers are shown from the zone file instead.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Nov 7, 2023Registrant: The registrant name or organization in the registration record changed; first recorded Nov 7, 2023. That can be a rename, a new contact or a sale; the record alone does not say which.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Jun 18, 2025 – Jul 20, 2026Certificate: GlobalSign nv-sa issued 1 certificate for about.com from Jun 18, 2025, the latest valid until Jul 20, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Jun 28, 2025 – Nov 2, 2026Certificate: Amazon issued 28 certificates for about.com from Jun 28, 2025, the latest valid until May 19, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Sep 17, 2025 – Jun 18, 2026Zone file: Registration records listed foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org nameservers (blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org) for about.com from Sep 17, 2025 to Jun 18, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Sep 17, 2025Zone file: about.com's nameservers moved from NS1 to foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org between Aug 22, 2025 and Sep 17, 2025. Last seen at NS1: Aug 22, 2025 (registration record). First seen at foundationdns.com, foundationdns.net, foundationdns.org: Sep 17, 2025 (registration record).Source: Derived from the nameserver records on this lifeline (registration record → registration record)
Apr 9, 2026 – Nov 2, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 53 certificates for about.com from Apr 9, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 29, 2027. Seen in use on Oct 19, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (dns.pizza's own certificate-log reader + AboutUs's own certificate-log reader); TLS check, Oct 19, 2026
Apr 27, 2026 – Nov 2, 2026Certificate: Google Trust Services issued 6 certificates for about.com from Apr 27, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 20, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Jun 18, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Nov 1, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Jul 28, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026Zone file: First seen in the .com zone file records AboutUs holds on Jul 28, 2026; latest sighting Nov 1, 2026. Nameservers on Nov 1, 2026: blue.foundationdns.com, blue.foundationdns.net, blue.foundationdns.org.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 1, 2026