I Think Therefore ICANN (A Roleplaying Game About Domain Names)

I Think Therefore ICANN (A Roleplaying Game About Domain Names)#

Role-play gamified scenarios tied to real-world internet governance stakeholders and considerations. This activity follows more standard game-play conventions.

Materials#

Playing Cards

Link to Network Lands PDF. Ideally printed on differently-colored paper.

Player Scorecards

Link to Network Lands PDF.

Playing Card Explanations

Link to Google Sheet with explanations for specific playing cards, often with connections to real-world examples.

Participant Handout & Instructions

Link to Google Doc with instructions for participants.

You Also Need

  • Six-sided die (physical or digital)

  • Writing utensils (for the scorecards)

Background#

From Network Lands:

This is a very didactic, very silly game for understanding the weird politics that has previously happened and continues to happen behind the scenes of top-level domains, or that thing you put at the end of a URL in a browser. Probably better suited to older players, not necessarily for content but maybe more just because of the sheer degree of abstraction entailed.
Domain names are where the politics, poetics, and peculiarities of the web express themselves in often the most direct and clever ways. But even the most active domain name hoarder might not really understand how the Domain Name System works, why certain TLDs exist, and how they at times become an arena where real-world geopolitical conflicts play out online. This game is meant to walk players through some of those realities.

Terminology#

Those not as familiar with the inner workings of ICANN, DNS, or internet governance may want to start with a few primer resources.

You could also check out the Networks Land reference page for this game.

Setup#

Players have 3 role options:

  • Country-code top-level domain (ccTLD)

  • General top-level domain (gTLD)

  • Secessionist region (seeking a TLD)

Each player needs the appropriate scorecard and writing utensil. Each group needs a set of playing cards and six-sided dice.

  • DO NOT look at the playing cards.

Goal#

Each player’s goal is to earn and maintain 500 points so they can acquire a TLD, acquire additional TLDs, and/or prevent the loss of a TLD.

Gameplay#

Participant Handout & Instructions

Link to Google Doc with instructions for participants.

Start:

  • Each player rolls the 6-sided dice and multiplies that value by 100 for your starting point value.

  • The cTLD and gTLD players each have 1 TLD when the game starts.

  • Playing order is determined by the starting point values (highest starting value draws first).

Rounds:

  • Each round, cTLD and gTLD players get a scarcity bonus. This bonus is calculated by rolling the 6-sided dice and multiplying that value by 10.

  • Whoever is first in the playing order draws one of their cards and follows the instructions.

  • Once a secessionist region purchases a TLD, they start playing as a gTLD.

Additional Resources

Discussion & Reflection#

These prompts could be used in a variety of settings for discussion and reflection:

  • How did this experience go for you? What was interesting, surprising, unexpected, challenging, fun, etc?

  • How are you thinking about DNS systems and internet governance differently after going through this activity?

  • What have you learned? What isn’t clear? What do you want to know more about?

  • Other comments or questions

If there is additional time…

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