Internet regulators okay domains written in Arabic script

ArabicKeyboardThe Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has launched a system that allows non-Latin script to be utilized in domain name addresses. Surfers in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can now use country code top-level domains (CCTLDs) in Arabic characters, even incorporating its proper right-to-left orientation. (In related news, porn producers are pressing ICANN to get on with implementing the .xxx domain, which will hopefully incorporate its proper in-out-in-out orientation.) Plans are afoot to allow the use of other non-Latin scripts, including Chinese, Thai and Tamil. This is going to have an impact on the global gaming industry, as it will enable companies to have a domain in a native language for targeting specific language groups.