What is DUPN?
DUPN (Digital-Only Unique Publication Number) is a unique identifier assigned to digital-only publications.
It is designed for:
- Publications created for digital platforms.
- Publications that previously existed in print but have now shifted to digital-only.
It is not:
- a replacement for ISSN or ISBN.
- It does not aggregate, host or archive content.
It simply assigns a structured, Unique ID to eligible digital publications, for:
- cataloging
- citation purpose
- digital presence.
Who Can Apply for a DUPN?
Anyone who manages a digital-only publication:
- eBook publishers and editors
- Think tank and research organizations with web-only operations
- Podcast networks and podcasters
- Media outlets with web-only operations
- Writers and bloggers
- Facebook pages, YouTube channels or TikTok profiles that publishes news or analysis or explainers or political/economic analysis, but do not have any formal presence outside social media.
You do not need to be a registered company or publishing house.
What Qualifies as a Digital-Only Publication?
A publication that:
- Is released only in digital format
- Has no current print edition
- Is issued with some regularity (daily, weekly or atleast twice a month)
Examples:
- News, commentary, blog or magazine websites
- Think tanks and research publication websites
- eBooks
- Digital-only newsletters
- Podcasts
- Facebook-only news pages or YouTube-only current affairs channels
- App-based publications
DUPN Format
Each ID follows this format:
dupn:<type_code>:<5-digit number>
Examples:
dupn:NW:00045→ News Websitedupn:WM:00101→ Web Magazinedupn:eBook:00017→ eBook seriesdupn:Pod:00320→ Podcast series
Type Codes:
| Code | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
| eBook | Digital Book | Standalone publications in eBook format (PDF, EPUB, etc.) |
| RTT | Research or Think Tank | Research organization’s and Think Tank’s web-only publication |
| MO | Media Outlet | Digital news or media organization (e.g. digital-only newspapers, news-portals, opinion publishing websites) |
| PW | Publishing Website* | Publications hosted on platforms like Medium, Substack |
| WJ | Web Journal | Online journals (both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed, and both academic and non-academic) |
| WM | Web Magazine | Digital-only general or niche interest magazines |
| NL | Digital Newsletter | Regular email or web-based newsletters |
| Pod | Audio Publication | Platform focused on podcast or audio-first contents |
| BL | Blog* | Independently managed blog-style publication (hosted on custom domain website, blogger.com, wordpress.com, ghost.org, etc.) |
| SMO | Social-only Media Outlet | Facebook pages, TikTok profiles, YouTube channels that functions as media outlets, only through social media platforms. |
*For more clarify between Blog and Publishing Website:
| If… | Then use… |
|---|---|
| It’s self-owned and just uses a CMS (WordPress, Ghost, Wix, etc.) | BL (Blog) |
| It’s platform-native with structured features and editorial framing (Substack, Medium, Revue) | PW (Publishing Website) |
What DUPN Is Not
- Not a hosting or publishing platform
- Not a discovery or content aggregation system
- Not a replacement for ISSN, ISBN, DOI, or catalog numbers
- Only one function: assign a simple, Unique ID for digital-only publications
Request a DUPN
To request a DUPN for your digital publication, complete the form below.
Approved entries will receive a structured ID (e.g. dupn:WM:00089) and will be listed in the public registry.
DUPN Submission Form
Contact
For questions or help with your submission:
Email: dupn.registry[AT]gmail[DOT]com
Website: DUPN Website
DUPN Registry | Digital-Only Unique Publication Number 