About Own The Dot

Learn about the Own The Dot initiative, our mission to create awareness of decentralised naming and digital ownership, and how you can get involved.

The Future of Domain Ownership

Own The Dot is an initiative created to raise awareness of a different way to think about names, identity and ownership on the internet.

For decades, we have used domain names without truly owning the space to the right of the dot. Names are registered, renewed and ultimately governed through centralised naming systems.

Handshake introduces another possibility.

Handshake is a decentralised naming protocol that allows people to own and control top-level names through a blockchain-based naming system, without relying on a single central authority.

Own The Dot exists to make that idea easier to understand and explore.

The dot represents something simple: ownership.

Your name.
Your identity.
Your choice.

Own The Dot. ⚪️

Why “Own The Dot”?

Every internet address begins with a name and, somewhere, a dot.

In the traditional Domain Name System, the space to the right of that dot such as .com, .org or .au is managed through registries and centralised authorities. We register names within those namespaces, but the namespace itself remains under someone else’s control.

Handshake changes that relationship 🤝

Handshake allows individuals, organisations and communities to acquire and control top level names directly through a decentralised naming protocol.

Instead of simply registering a name beneath someone else’s extension, Handshake makes it possible to own the dot itself.

⚪️ Ownership
Control of the name is secured through cryptographic keys.

⚪️ Independence
The naming system does not depend on a single central authority or root operator.

⚪️ Possibility
A top-level name can become the foundation for websites, subdomains, communities and new ways of building identity online.

That is what Own The Dot represents.

A name you control. A namespace you can build upon. A dot that is yours.

Use of “Own The Dot”

Own The Dot was created to promote awareness and understanding of decentralised naming, digital ownership and the Handshake naming protocol.

We encourage discussion, education and community participation around these ideas and welcome people sharing the #OwnTheDot message in support of a more open and decentralised internet.

The Own The Dot name and identity are used to distinguish this initiative and its educational and awareness activities.

Our goal is simple: help more people understand that there is another way to think about names and ownership online.

Connect

Follow Own The Dot and join the conversation around decentralised naming, digital ownership and Handshake.

Own The Dot ⚪️
An initiative supporting awareness of the Handshake naming protocol.

Get Connected

Follow and participate in the conversation across our official channels.

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