Chose your color

Frequently visited

Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

“Our aim is a digital world where people can believe what they see and hear”

SIDN Fund supports development of DuckDuckGoose's deepfake detection tools

Digitized representation of a face
  • Tuesday 20 December 2022

Deepfake technology is developing rapidly. Computers are now able to synthesise photos, videos, audio clips and even voices that are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. Synthetic material can be found in the media, and in the context of digital identity verification. What's more, deepfakes are amongst the most influential sources of disinformation. DuckDuckGoose therefore develops tools for identifying deepfakes and distinguishing between real and synthesised material. One of the organisation's most recent projects involved development of a tool for detecting synthetic sound fragments. "Our mission is to help build a digital world where people can believe what they see and hear," says Joris Mollinga, co-founder of DuckDuckGoose. Joris talks to us about his organisation's contribution to controlling disinformation and understanding the deepfake phenomenon.

Synthetic speech detection

In recent years, huge advances have been made in the field of sound synthesis. "Along with photo and video, sound plays an increasingly important role in the world of deepfakes," explains Joris. "With real-time voice cloning technology, it's possible to simulate a person's voice on the basis of just a few seconds of audio samples. Artificial intelligence (AI) can then be used to replicate the sound of an individual saying anything. And malicious use of such voice cloning technology is on the rise. It's already common for internet users to get WhatsApp messages from scammers posing as relatives in need of financial assistance. Most people who get a written message are going to sense that something isn't right, of course. But what if the message is followed up by a cloned voice call repeating the request? It's easy to imagine people being taken in."

Joris Mollinga, Mark Evenblij and Parya Lotfi, founders of DuckDuckGoose

Figure 1: Joris Mollinga (left) with co-founders Mark Evenblij (middle) and Parya Lotfi (right).

"SIDN Fund has provided financial support enabling us to develop a tool for detecting synthetic sound fragments to complement our existing detection products. The project is just getting started, and is scheduled to run until April 2024. Our ultimate goal is to make a tool available that investigators, journalists and internet users can use themselves to detect synthetic sound fragments."

Elise van Schaik, Project Coordinator at SIDN Fund: "DuckDuckGoose is helping to restore public confidence in information on the internet. The deepfake detection tool and the new tool they're developing for detecting synthetic sound fragments enable professionals and other internet users to automatically distinguish fakes from the real thing. That kind of capability is very important in a world blighted by growing disinformation and misinformation problems. The detection tools offered by DuckDuckGoose are helping to make internet users more aware of deepfakes and the fact that not everything on the internet can be trusted."

Previous support for DuckDuckGoose from SIDN Fund

"SIDN Fund previously supported our Pioneer Project involving the detection of deepfake videos," continues Joris. "The latest grant enables us to develop the concept further. Internet users can now use our products and services at reduced rates, or even for free. Once we had developed our deepfake detection tool, SIDN Fund helped us with the follow-up initiative, DeepfakeProof: a free browser plugin for the automatic detection of deepfakes. With the plugin installed, the user gets a notification if they look at a deepfake photo or video in their browser."

As well as providing financial support for product development, SIDN Fund has helped DuckDuckGoose forge valuable alliances. "Through SIDN Fund's network, we were introduced to a lawyer who specialises in privacy law," says Joris. "That was really helpful, because we were getting lots of questions about the privacy aspects of our browser plugin. The lawyer helped us to answer those questions, and has since become our legal counsel."

The future of deepfakes

"Voice cloning technology is getting more sophisticated all the time. We're also seeing the rise of text-to-image software that can convert written words into realistic pictures. Text-to-video capability is likely to follow. The user will be able to type 'car of make [x] with registration number [y] hits tree', and the software will generate a realistic video of the event described. Developments in this field are moving incredibly quickly. I expect that, within a few years, you'll be able to do things like that on your phone. So there's an ongoing need for detection product development. Using our software, an organisation can check the authenticity of material they receive and spot any deepfakes. That's an important breakthrough. Our AI solutions for the detection of deepfakes in audiovisual content recently won the Identity Innovation Award." The award is presented to the developers of a solution that will shape the future of digital identities.

"It's important that internet users are more aware of deepfakes, and realise that not every photo, video or audio clip is what it seems to be. Widespread use of our products can help to build that awareness," concludes Joris.

For more about DuckDuckGoose and its detection products, visit www.duckduckgoose.ai or mail Joris Mollinga at joris@duckduckgoose.nl.

More great projects supported by SIDN Fund

Read more articles about projects that contribute to a stronger internet.