The dot io domain name is a common General Top Level Domain Name (GTLD) for many tech companies, but also for some Māori groups in part for the tech abbreviation for input/output but also as it is the name of a disputed Māori deity called Io.
The dot io domain is assigned to a country that Britain colonised called the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean (io). The UK this week announced that they will give sovereignty of Chagos Islands back to the Indigenous Peoples of Mauritius https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98ynejg4l5o .
While many Māori will celebrate this, it does cause a unique Internet Governance issue which unfortunately, Māori have not been active with Internet Governance since the demise in 201. InternetNZ seem to have lost their knowledge in this area since the resignation of the previous CEO.
Any registered dot io domain name is at the mercy of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) who follows a process to retire outdated country code domains within five years, with the option for extensions.
This rule was put in place after the .su domain, originally assigned to the Soviet Union, persisted long after the country’s collapse and became popular among cybercriminals. Similarly, IANA had to retire the .yu domain used by Yugoslavia, though it remained in use for years while government websites transitioned to new domains after the country’s dissolution. The Solomon Islands, now independent, uses the domain .sb (with “B” referencing its past as a British protectorate), although it was registered long after independence. The UK also has the .gb domain, which is now inactive but may soon be retired.
I would suggest that those with a dot io domain name not to be too alarmed at the moment. Many of the big tech companies use the domain name dot io and will likely just purchase a new General Top Level Domain Name in its place.
From an Indigenous Peoples perspective, it does raise the issue that the international domain name system or the way that all Internet addresses are managed, were frankly created a by a few Internet geeks with relatively no consultation with governments, communities and in particular with no Indigenous Peoples.
My advise to Māori with dot io domain names at this stage is to:
- Re-evaluate your principles and if a dot io domain aligns with your Māori or Indigenous vision.
- Look at a culturally safe alternative. It might be a dot kiwi or a dot nz.
- Plan for the next few years, as there will be disruption and cancelation of the current dot io domain
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