Jul 02, 2026 07:00:00

A new top-level domain, '.self,' designed to support self-hosting, with one free domain per user.

Top-level domains (TLDs) such as '.com' and '.org' are widely used on the internet, and the responsibility for managing most of these TLDs is delegated by ICANN to specific organizations. The Human-Centered Computing Foundation (HCCF) , a non-profit organization that promotes human-centered computing, has announced a plan to acquire a new top-level domain called '.self' with the aim of moving away from the current web, which is optimized for data collection and advertising businesses by giant IT companies, and realizing a new web driven by individuals and communities.

Reclaiming Our Digital Selves: HCCF’s Vision for a Human-Centered Top-Level Domain – Human-Centered Computing Foundation
https://hccf.onmy.cloud/2026/06/21/reclaiming-our-digital-selves-hccfs-vision-for-a-human-centered-top-level-domain/

HCCF states, 'The internet is the most powerful communication tool ever created, but the infrastructure that underlies it has become dominated by algorithms that exploit our data and capture users' attention, as used by the technology industry.'

To change this situation, HCCF has announced plans to acquire a new top-level domain, '.self,' which aims to create a human-centered web.

HCCF has released a brochure (PDF file) about the '.self' concept. The brochure begins by stating that it is 'a new top-level domain designed from the ground up to support self-hosting,' and also discusses the idea of prioritizing public benefit rather than having a private company operate it as a registry.

According to HCCF, '.self' has four pillars. First, the idea of 'one subdomain per person,' aiming to make subdomains like 'ab.self' available to anyone for free. The policy is not to allow the buying or selling of subdomains. Second, 'service sharing,' addressing the security concerns of self-hosting, which require connecting from a home network, by providing VPN tunnels, aiming to enable services to be published even in environments without a global IP address. Third, 'open-sourcing the software client,' providing all the necessary software for self-hosting, such as VPN, email, TLS certificate generation, and Dynamic DNS, as open source. Fourth, 'open governance,' the idea is that rules such as new features and usage restrictions will be decided by the community, not by companies or organizations.

HCCF has been selected as a recipient of support from ICANN's Applicant Support Program (ASP), which manages internet domain names, and is aiming to acquire the '.self' top-level domain through this program. Going forward, it will need to meet ICANN's review and technical and operational requirements, and whether '.self' will actually become available depends on the results of this review.