GuidesWebsite ownership
How to verify who controls a website
Ask someone to prove they control a website's domain, like example.com. They add a short record to the domain's settings, and Prson checks it. You get a yes or no signed by Prson.
- Answered in the Prson app
- Signed by Prson
- Only the answer is shared
Website check
How it works
Three steps, on their phone.
Ask
Pick what you need to know in the Prson app and send it as a link, by WhatsApp, email or wherever you talk. Organisations can ask from their own website or app, or through an AI agent.
They prove it on their phone
The Prson app gives them a short line of text to add to the domain's DNS settings (a TXT record), and Prson looks it up. They see who is asking and what, and can decline.
Get a yes or no
The answer comes back signed by Prson, so it can't be edited, and it's valid for a limited time. You learn "Controls example.com: yes" and nothing more.
What you can ask
Pick the question. Get a yes or no.
Where the answer comes from: a DNS record they added to the domain, checked by Prson.
Search every fact Prson can verifyWebsite facts in the developer docs
Honest limits
What a yes proves, and what it doesn't.
A yes proves
- They controlled the domain's DNS settings when Prson checked the record.
A yes doesn't prove
- Who legally owns the domain, or the company behind it.
- That they still control it today: the answer is about when Prson checked.
- Anything about another domain: www.example.com and example.com are different.
- It lasts up to 365 days, and never past the date the domain's registration runs out.
When people ask
A few examples.
- Buying a website or a domain
- A partner who says they run a site
- A shop owner who says a website is theirs
For organisations
Ask from your website, app or AI agent.
The same questions work through the Prson API: send the request, the person answers in the Prson app, and you get the answer signed by Prson.
Questions
Questions, answered.
Does this prove they own the website?
It proves they controlled the domain's DNS settings when Prson checked. That is usually the owner, or someone they trust, like their web developer. It doesn't prove who legally owns the domain or runs the company behind it.
What is a DNS TXT record?
A short line of text stored in a domain's settings, wherever the domain is managed. Adding one doesn't change how the website looks or works, and it can be removed afterwards.
Is www.example.com the same as example.com?
No. The domain must match exactly, so ask about the one you care about.
How long does it last?
Up to 365 days, and never past the date the domain's registration runs out.
Does the other person need the Prson app?
Yes, to answer. The Prson app is free on iPhone and Android, and in private beta now. You don't need anything to ask but the app or a link from an organisation that uses Prson.
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