The UNID Charter
Ethical Foundations & Governance Principles
The Universal Identification Domain (UNID) exists to create a simple, open, and enduring framework for identifying objects of significance — physical or digital — without tracking, surveillance, or exploitation.
1. Principles
The UNID Charter is founded on five enduring principles:
- Clarity — Systems must be transparent, legible, and understandable by all.
- Integrity — Every identifier must be trustworthy, verifiable, and permanent.
- Privacy — Objects may be identified; people may not be profiled.
- Neutrality — No state, corporation, or platform may control the registry’s logic.
- Longevity — Records must remain readable and portable for generations.
2. Purpose
UNID was created to serve as a neutral global namespace for things that matter — a universal registry for cultural, personal, and historical artefacts. It provides a simple, human-readable code that can link an object to its story, without exposing its owner or compromising its dignity.
Every identifier in the UNID system exists for the public good: to preserve knowledge, reduce loss, and strengthen the bond between humanity and its creations.
3. Governance
The UNID system is stewarded by the Pebble Foundation, an independent organisation dedicated to ethical technology, privacy, and the preservation of cultural value.
The Foundation maintains the core registry logic, approves new namespace prefixes, and publishes open specifications at UNID.CH/specs. Governance is guided by the principles of open access, consensus, and non-exclusion.
4. Access & Use
UNID identifiers are free to create and permanent once assigned. They may be referenced by museums, insurers, collectors, researchers, and the public. Systems that use UNID must provide visible confirmation when identifiers are issued or resolved, so users always understand the source.
UNID data may not be sold, resold, or used to profile individuals. Commercial implementations must comply with the Charter and maintain a visible link to this document.
5. Continuity & Preservation
The long-term preservation of the UNID registry is ensured through distributed archiving and open publication. The specifications are to remain public domain, ensuring that no future system lock-in or licensing can prevent continuity of access.
In the event that stewardship changes hands, the Charter requires transfer to an equally neutral and ethical entity.