Building an Inclusive Internet: Universal Acceptance Workshop Held in Strasbourg
On 20 March, the .alsace registry hosted a Universal Acceptance (UA) workshop in Strasbourg, bringing together regional stakeholders to explore the often overlooked challenge of ensuring that all domain names and email addresses work seamlessly across the digital ecosystem.
Universal Acceptance is a foundational requirement for a truly inclusive Internet. It ensures that all domain names and email addresses are treated equally, regardless of length, script, language, or whether they use a newer or non-traditional top-level domain (TLD). From Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) to long-form or brand-specific TLDs, UA ensures that users are not held back by technical limitations in apps, websites, or devices.
Without Universal Acceptance, users may encounter software or systems that do not recognize or properly support their domain or email address — whether because it’s longer than expected, or is written in a non-Latin script. UA addresses these real-world barriers by promoting updates and awareness across the digital supply chain.
The workshop was part of the agenda of NDDCamp Alsace, the regional event focused on domain name innovation and industry trends. Key presenter and trainer at the workshop was Benoît Ampeau, Director of Partnerships and Innovation at Afnic and Head of Afnic Labs. His expertise helped participants understand the technical and strategic aspects of Universal Acceptance, and provided actionable insights for implementation.
The workshop was made possible with the support of the GeoTLD UA Local Initiative — a collaboration between the GeoTLD Group and ICANN aimed at promoting Universal Acceptance and building UA technical capacity across the Internet community.
