Arguably one of the most significant developments at the ICANN meeting in Seoul was the endorsement and approval of International Domain Names (IDNs). Their implementation is set to transform the way the internet is used by the estimated 800 million people who speak languages not formed from Latin-based scripts.

Opportunities have now been opened for domain names in Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Hindu, Russian Cyrillic and other languages and some may even be introduced by the end of the year. For the first time internet users with languages other than the Western ones will be able to represent an entire Internet web address in their own language. Previously, a domain name could be in non-Latin script but the top-level domain such as.com, .co.uk, .org etc. had to be written in Latin script.

Domains have been limited to 37 characters before the ruling: the 26 characters in the English language, ten numerals and the hyphen. The ICANN Chairman noted it as an historic achievement and the vote was met with a standing ovation by the audience.

Rod Beckstrom, ICANN president and CEO, said, “This is only the first step but it’s an incredibly big one and an historic move towards the internationalisation of the internet. The first countries that participate will not only be providing valuable information on the operation of IDNs in the domain name system, they’ll also help to bring the first of billions more people online, people who never use Roman characters in their daily lives.”

The next steps will see applications for IDNs opening on 16 November.