Does Google check domain`s Whois details?

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

• 
  Artur Palvanov: Good day colleagues!
  
  Does Google check domain's Whois details as part of search rankings? ;
  
  For example - if 2 websites hold top rankings in the same category in a local market. Website A ranks #1. Website B ranks #2. ;
  
  Company A buys Company B. Now Website A and Website B are owned by the same person / company (and both domains' Whois information becomes the same)
  
  What will Google do if 2 top ranking website in the same market are owned by the same person or company?
  
  Is it safer to have a 'Private' domain registration?
  
  Do privately registered domains affect SEO rankings?
• 
  Edwin Jonk: Personally I asked this question too at the our expert panel, and the answer is no. Maybe they look at it with regard to manual action but I don't think they do in general.
  
  On the other hand there is a patent that does look at the whois data, namely the expiration date [1]. However one of the inventors clearly stated that it is not being used:
  
  Is the time left before your domain registration expires an SEO factor? ;
  
  [1] ;http://www.seobythesea.com/2011/10/revisiting-googles-information-retrieval-based-upon-historical-data/
• 
  Artur Palvanov: Thanks Edwin.
  
  Do you know if Google is actively engaging in 'manual action' when it comes to top ranking domains?
• 
  Tim Capper: I agree with +Edwin Jonk ;the only time i reckon they would look at this is when they are looking at manual action
• 
  Edwin Jonk: From the expert panel in this weeks SEO Questions hangout on air on 01:44:13 into the YouTube video: https://dumbseoquestions.com/q/does_google_check_domains_whois_details +Artur Palvanov
  
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• 
  Artur Palvanov: Thanks for the answer John Britsios.