The top-level domain (TLD) xn—55qw42g is an Internationalizing Domain Name (IDN) TLD in the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet. When surfing the web, this domain is often encountered as .公益, which is a simplified Chinese translation that roughly stands for “public interest” or “public benefit” in English.
The introduction of TLDs such as xn—55qw42g represents an effort to enhance the multiculturalism and multilingualism of the Internet. This is brought about through the introduction of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) that use non-Latin scripts, including Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, and numerous others, enabling Internet users worldwide to navigate the web and register domain names in their native languages.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), responsible for managing DNS, approved this TLD as part of its new Generic top-level domain (gTLD) Program, which commenced in 2012. According to ICANN’s database, this domain is sponsored by the China Organizational Name Administration Center.
An example of a website that would use this TLD would be a website for a public benefit organization that, for reasons of cultural relevance, local language, or target audience, wishes to utilize a domain name that more accurately reflects this in its DNS. Given that the .公益 TLD is endorsed by the China Organizational Name Administration Center, it’s safe to infer that this TLD may be of particular interest and relevance to Chinese public benefit organizations.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) provides Domain Name Dispute Resolution services for the domain, which means that it handles disputes related to domain names registered under xn—55qw42g. This helps further ensure the fair and legitimate use of the domain, making certain that public interests are best served.
Thus, top-level domains like xn—55qw42g represent an effort to make the internet more inclusive and respectful of global linguistic and cultural diversity. More importantly, they may help render the internet more accessible and user-friendly to the non-English speaking population worldwide.
Sources used include:
1. ICANN’s TLD database: https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt
2. ICANN’s IDN TLDs: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/string-evaluation-completion-2014-02-19-en
3. gTLD Applicant Guidebook: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb
4. WIPO’s Domain Name Dispute Resolution service associated level domains: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/gtld/index.html
5. China Organizational Name Administration Center: http://www.conac.cn/index.html
