Description: The Domain Name System (DNS) enables access to online content. Emails are now not only used as a way to communicate but also for online identification (as usernames). The domain name space has significantly expanded over the past decade with top-level domains increasing from a couple of hundred to well over a thousand. The newer domain names are many times not only longer (e.g. .photography, .london, etc.) but also in different local languages (e.g. موقع., .дети, .닷넷, etc.). It is therefore essential that the existing technological base, development practices and procurement requirements need to evolve to support this expansion in the name space. This workshop aims to create awareness of the critical need for universal acceptance of domain names and email addresses (UA), engage the relevant stakeholders to inform them of their role in promoting UA readiness and call them to action to address UA challenges in order to realize the intended benefits of competition, choice, multi-lingual access online for the global community. The workshop members will introduce the UA issues and share examples of current efforts underway to address them. The presenters will share technical and engagement work which needs to be done for UA-readiness. The participants will be engaged to discuss which stakeholders are relevant and effective methods to involve the stakeholders globally to achieve the UA-readiness goals.
Expected Outcomes: 1. Create awareness of the intended benefits of expansion in domain name space and the current problems and issues in the universal acceptance of domain names and email addresses (UA) 2. To showcase examples of successfully addressing UA which can be repeated by others to amplify the impact 3. To engage potential stakeholders and call them to action to address the UA challenge
