“Unstoppable Domains” extension gives access to ‘uncensorable’ webs

Unstoppable Domains' latest product, a Google Chrome extension, is part of a suite allowing users to create and browse censorship-resistant websites.



First, the Unstoppable Domains built blockchain domain names. Then, it launched its first own browser. And now, they want to make it even easier to access the dece

The Tim Draper-backed firm announced Wednesday the launch of a Google Chrome extension. Basically, it allows users to browse “uncensorable” websites built on the Ethereum blockchain.



“Decentralized websites are crucial because they provide censorship-resistance” Unstoppable Domains Co-Founder Brad Kam claimed. This “is completely different than a traditional website, where a domain registrar company like GoDaddy or a hosting company like Amazon Web Services can take down a website in under 5 minutes—and they do,” he said.

CEO Matthew Gould and CTO Braden Pezeshki photo via Unstoppable Domains
CEO Matthew Gould and CTO Braden Pezeshki photo via Unstoppable Domains



Before all this, if you got to one of the Unstoppable Domains “.crypto” URLs on Chrome, it redirected you to Google search pages. They were all related to Unstoppable's products. Not, the extension will give permission to the Chrome browser to access other websites. Especially Draper's own TimDraper.crypto and Anthony Pompliano's Offthechain.crypto.

This is the beginning of allowing users to use the cross-functionality of traditional browsers such as Chrome. But, this time with different perks that come with the decentralized web – according to Kam. But, why would you want to develop a Chrome Extension when Unstoppable Domains just launched its own browser recently?

“Most people use Chrome,” he claimed. “We want the decentralized web to be just as easy to use as the traditional web, and this means that you need as many opportunities and as many tools as possible to search the decentralized web.”



What are Unstoppable Domains?

According to them, its decentralized domains are not stored by a custodian. So, “no company, government or anything else can shut them down unless they own it. And, additionally, another feature is that a domain can be used as a payment gateway. Roughly speaking, this means that these addresses can be used to send and receive crypto all over the world. It's kind of similar to what the Ethereum Name Services provides.

And if that isn’t enough, once users pay for a domain, they own it forever, meaning they won’t have to keep repaying external hosts who often charge domain users once a year.

Unstoppable Domains logo
Unstoppable Domains logo



And, to add more fuel to the fire, once the user pays for a domain, they own it forever. This means that they won't have to keep repaying external hosts, who often charge domains annually.

Other uses cases for its products, according to the firm, include accessing decentralized crypto exchanges (DEX), and crypto-focused content producers using their blockchain domain to store and distribute their material as they please.

Other uses for its products include accessing decentralized crypto exchanges (DEX). And crypto-focused content producers using their blockchain domain to store their material as they please as well.

And, should users have reservations against using Chome, the recently launched blockchain browser is there for the rescue.



What about privacy?

While all that sounds fine, some privacy-oriented users might want to consider some downsides. Like the potential downside of hosting websites to pseudonymous blockchains like Ethereum. Just last month and investigation by Decrypt showed how using Ethereum Name Service for transactions could easily be spied on.

And despite all this, Kam is very confident that privacy issues will be surpassed.

“Privacy solutions are under development across blockchains to create more private [transactions] for users even on pseudo-anonymous chains,” he stated. “No matter the future, blockchain domains will be able to help users to send transactions privately—either through the use of more private base chains or by utilizing emerging second-layer solutions on existing pseudo-anonymous chains,” stated Kam.

Unstoppable Domains new extension
Unstoppable Domains new extension



Nonetheless, Unstoppable Domains still envisions a future “where anybody in the world is able to say what they want online without fear of censorship,” said the CEO. This means hosting websites without needing permission, new native crypto features for people who browse on traditional platforms, and “being able to see and hear from voices that you otherwise would not have been able to hear from,” he said.

Nevertheless, Unstoppable Domains still envisions a future “where anybody is able to say what they want online without censorship”. This means hosting websites without further permission. New native crypto features for people who browse on traditional platforms too. And, “being able to see and hear from voices that would otherwise not have been heard” as well.



That means that people that are banned from legacy sites like YouTube and Twitter might get a second chance at broadcasting their thoughts to the world.