#GloballyInclusiveHandles

@hongminhee @liaizon @Edent @north @Profpatsch (4/3)
FYI #FediForum posted meeting notes from the #GloballyInclusiveHandles session from 29 April 2026: https://fediforum.org/2026-04/session/4-g/ .
#i18n #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #Fediverse #Multilingual #SWICG .
cc participants @sylvie @jamesmarshall @JMMaok , Thank you!

**@小明@範例.測試, or, Fediverse handles in every language**
is the proposal I just submitted to @COSCUP . Abstract:

A person's handle is their name and address on the Fediverse. But despite people using the Fediverse in many languages from all over the world, almost all handles are limited to Latin script letters and numbers: **@somebody@example.com** . Instead, people should be able to use a handle in their own language and characters, e.g. **@小明@範例.測試** or **@김@예시.테스트**. We call this "globally inclusive Fediverse handles".

This talk explains the reasons why handles are now limited…. We look at the role of specifications, and existing software…. We look at the history of internationalising other address types such as email addresses ( जिम@डाटामेल.भारत ) and domain names ( http://ยูเอทดสอบ.ไทย ). We list some rules from DNS, Unicode, and IETF…: the Fediverse can build on them.

We propose a path forward….

#GloballyInclusiveHandles #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #i18n
Thank you @hongminhee for your encouragement!

**@小明@範例.測試, or, Fediverse handles in every language**
is the proposal I just submitted to @COSCUP . Abstract:

A person's handle is their name and address on the Fediverse. But despite people using the Fediverse in many languages from all over the world, almost all handles are limited to Latin script letters and numbers: **@somebody@example.com** . Instead, people should be able to use a handle in their own language and characters, e.g. **@小明@範例.測試** or **@김@예시.테스트**. We call this "globally inclusive Fediverse handles".

This talk explains the reasons why handles are now limited…. We look at the role of specifications, and existing software…. We look at the history of internationalising other address types such as email addresses ( जिम@डाटामेल.भारत ) and domain names ( http://ยูเอทดสอบ.ไทย ). We list some rules from DNS, Unicode, and IETF…: the Fediverse can build on them.

We propose a path forward….

#GloballyInclusiveHandles #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #i18n
Thank you @hongminhee for your encouragement!

**@小明@範例.測試, or, Fediverse handles in every language**
is the proposal I just submitted to @COSCUP . Abstract:

A person's handle is their name and address on the Fediverse. But despite people using the Fediverse in many languages from all over the world, almost all handles are limited to Latin script letters and numbers: **@somebody@example.com** . Instead, people should be able to use a handle in their own language and characters, e.g. **@小明@範例.測試** or **@김@예시.테스트**. We call this "globally inclusive Fediverse handles".

This talk explains the reasons why handles are now limited…. We look at the role of specifications, and existing software…. We look at the history of internationalising other address types such as email addresses ( जिम@डाटामेल.भारत ) and domain names ( http://ยูเอทดสอบ.ไทย ). We list some rules from DNS, Unicode, and IETF…: the Fediverse can build on them.

We propose a path forward….

#GloballyInclusiveHandles #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #i18n
Thank you @hongminhee for your encouragement!

**@小明@範例.測試, or, Fediverse handles in every language**
is the proposal I just submitted to @COSCUP . Abstract:

A person's handle is their name and address on the Fediverse. But despite people using the Fediverse in many languages from all over the world, almost all handles are limited to Latin script letters and numbers: **@somebody@example.com** . Instead, people should be able to use a handle in their own language and characters, e.g. **@小明@範例.測試** or **@김@예시.테스트**. We call this "globally inclusive Fediverse handles".

This talk explains the reasons why handles are now limited…. We look at the role of specifications, and existing software…. We look at the history of internationalising other address types such as email addresses ( जिम@डाटामेल.भारत ) and domain names ( http://ยูเอทดสอบ.ไทย ). We list some rules from DNS, Unicode, and IETF…: the Fediverse can build on them.

We propose a path forward….

#GloballyInclusiveHandles #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #i18n
Thank you @hongminhee for your encouragement!

**@小明@範例.測試, or, Fediverse handles in every language**
is the proposal I just submitted to @COSCUP . Abstract:

A person's handle is their name and address on the Fediverse. But despite people using the Fediverse in many languages from all over the world, almost all handles are limited to Latin script letters and numbers: **@somebody@example.com** . Instead, people should be able to use a handle in their own language and characters, e.g. **@小明@範例.測試** or **@김@예시.테스트**. We call this "globally inclusive Fediverse handles".

This talk explains the reasons why handles are now limited…. We look at the role of specifications, and existing software…. We look at the history of internationalising other address types such as email addresses ( जिम@डाटामेल.भारत ) and domain names ( http://ยูเอทดสอบ.ไทย ). We list some rules from DNS, Unicode, and IETF…: the Fediverse can build on them.

We propose a path forward….

#GloballyInclusiveHandles #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #i18n
Thank you @hongminhee for your encouragement!

@silverpill @Profpatsch @hongminhee @liaizon @Edent @north @aumetra
I have considered publishing an FEP about #GloballyInclusiveHandles . At FediForum six months ago I got the advice to write three:
1. Advocating for #GloballyInclusive handles and laying out requirements and issues
2. Explaining prior art from #Unicode technical annexes on domain names and identifiers, #ICANN label generation rules for DNS, #UniversalAcceptance, email addresses, etc.
3. Advocating for linkification of globally inclusive handles and layout out requirements and issues.
Do those sound like good FEPs to write at this point?

@jdlh Thanks for asking me. One complication is that I'm organizing the Fediverse & Social Web track at @COSCUP 2026, and I've already submitted my own talk proposal. So I don’t think I should co-present another session.

I wish I had someone obvious to suggest, but I don't. I know a few Korean and Japanese fediverse people who may be there, but I'm not sure any of them have been thinking about #GloballyInclusiveHandles, especially from the internationalization side.

I think you should submit the proposal yourself! The topic fits the track. And for the Chinese parts, COSCUP itself may be a better place to find a collaborator than trying to arrange that from outside beforehand—if the session gets accepted, people will see it on the schedule and it gets easier to ask around.

@hongminhee I would like your advice on proposing a @COSCUP session on #GloballyInclusiveHandles . I think the enthusiastic pioneers who might push handles in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean might be there. Do you know if someone who favours handles in their language is already thinking about going to COSCUP? I would love to support them proposing a session, and help them write a presentation.
I could go myself, but 1. I'm an outsider, and an insider might be a better messenger, 2. 10000km is a long way to go (even though I can stay a week and make it my first Taiwan vacation), 3. I will need help with the Chinese part of the summary and slides. So, I hope I can find someone else. But if I can't, I am persuading myself to write the proposal, and if accepted, to make the trip.

What is your advice?

@hongminhee @liaizon @Edent @north @Profpatsch (3/3)
4. I think that the next step towards #GloballyInclusiveHandles is to find brave pioneers who want to use these handles, even though they will find it difficult.
5. I think that the step after that is to find or modify #Fediverse software to work with these handles, so it is useful for the pioneers. Which software is a good starting point?
6. I think that those pioneers aren't near me in Canada. They might be at @COSCUP , speaking Chinese or Korean or Japanese. Someone should propose a COSCUP session on Globally Inclusive Handles.
#i18n #GloballyInclusiveFediverse #Fediverse #Multilingual #GloballyInclusive