It is expected that by 2003 two-thirds or all Internet users will be non-English speakers. However, this majority will face the problem of dealing with the fact that Internet domain names are in a
restricted set of Latin characters, most commonly used to write English. "Native speakers of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other Languages are at a disadvantages".
While the process of "internationalization" of the Internet’s Domain Name System is underway, a number of problems need to be overcome to ensure that all linguistic systems are fairly represented on the Internet. The challenges are not merely technical: they include administrative arrangements for multilingual and domains, competition policy, market access, intellectual property and dispute resolutions mechanisms, and cultural and social issues.
WIPO Magazine