ICANN sees India as potential role model for local language domains
India’s diversity of languages and dialects make it an ideal location for implementing Universal Acceptance and promoting multilingualism and digital inclusion.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said that India could become a role model in promoting Universal Acceptance (UA) of domain names in local languages and more inclusive internationalised domain names (IDNs).
UA is a technical process that ensures all domain names and email addresses, regardless of the language used, are accepted and function properly across all applications, devices, and systems. ICANN interim president and CEO, Sally Costerton, noted that UA would have to consider the digital divide and how to overcome it through voice activation, QR codes or spoken language access systems and ensure that the benefits of internet reach everyone.
ICANN praised India’s diversity of languages and dialects, which makes it the perfect setting to apply UA and support multilingualism on the internet. The organisation also highlighted the importance of UA in promoting digital inclusion and empowering users from non-English speaking regions.
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