The Internet may seem like a global platform, but for millions of people, it doesn’t fully work in their language. With roughly 7,000 spoken languages worldwide, only about 400 have a strong digital presence. That’s a serious gap, and UNESCO, along with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), is stepping in to fix it.
A new agreement between the two organizations will focus on making domain names and email addresses work in more languages and scripts. This move could open up the web to hundreds of millions of new users.
What’s the Problem?
For years, the Internet’s infrastructure has favored Latin-based scripts like English, Spanish, and French. But many people across the world rely on scripts like Arabic, Cyrillic, Devanagari, and Chinese. Domain names and email addresses in these scripts don’t always work across all platforms and applications.
One major issue is outdated software. Many systems still use old rules that block or misinterpret domain names written in non-Latin scripts. That means someone with an email address in Hindi or Thai might struggle to use online services, make purchases, or even sign up for accounts.
This lack of accessibility isn’t just frustrating—it’s a barrier to economic and social progress.
What UNESCO and ICANN Plan to Do
This partnership will push for what’s called Universal Acceptance (UA)—the idea that every domain name and email address should function correctly, no matter the language or script. ICANN will provide technical expertise, while UNESCO will drive policy discussions to encourage governments, businesses, and software developers to adopt better systems.
A major part of this effort is expanding Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs)—domain names that use characters from different scripts. This would allow users to create website names and email addresses that match their native language, making online communication easier and more natural.
The Bigger Picture
Over 5.4 billion people are online today, but another 2.6 billion still aren’t. Most of those who remain disconnected speak languages that the Internet barely recognizes. Making the web more inclusive isn’t just about convenience—it’s about bridging digital divides and making sure the next wave of Internet users has the same access as everyone else.
Kurtis Lindqvist, CEO of ICANN, summed it up: “Supporting domain names in local scripts and language, and their Universal Acceptance, is essential to enabling a diverse and multilingual online experience.”
The Push for Change
For this effort to succeed, businesses, developers, and tech companies need to step up. Many websites and applications still rely on old validation rules that reject non-Latin email addresses and domain names. Updating these systems is key to making the web accessible to everyone.
As UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay pointed out, the Internet shouldn’t be limited to just a fraction of the world’s languages. This agreement is a step toward making the online experience truly global.