Today, the ICANN organization Registrant Program published the third edition of its ongoing reporting series on Issues and Challenges Impacting Domain Name Registrants [PDF, 263 KB] containing updated data (from the reporting period of September 2019 – February 2020) from the ICANN Global Support Center (GSC) and Contractual Compliance. The report also provides observations of […]

When I joined ICANN org, many of you told me that it was difficult to find information on our websites. I heard this not only from our community stakeholders, but from ICANN beginners who wanted to participate in our unique multistakeholder model. I knew then that fixing the findability of our public information was something […]

With everything going on at the current moment, the Board has not forgotten its longer-term priorities. It's important that we continue to learn from our experiences and invest in efforts to move forward in healthy ways. We are committed to continuous improvement. One of the ways the Board acts on this is by pursuing our […]

Following the conclusion of the work of the Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability, Working Stream 2 (WS2), the ICANN Board passed a resolution in November 2019 to adopt the consensus recommendations contained in the WS2 Final Report [PDF, 9.2 MB]. This blog provides an update on completed work and notes areas in which […]

In December 2019, the draft Five-Year Operating and Financial Plan and draft Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Budget were submitted to the ICANN community for Public Comment. Both plans were the subject of broad participation and engagement from the ICANN community, and we want to thank everyone who submitted their feedback and thoughts on these drafts. […]

ICANN’s Government and Intergovernmental Organizations Engagement team (GE) has facilitated discussions at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York and Geneva since 2014. We do this, because it is critical that ICANN have participation, representation, and engagement from all stakeholders, and this includes governments and intergovernmental organizations. It is equally critical for us to […]

Attacks on the Domain Name System (DNS) rarely impact only one actor in the Internet ecosystem. With significant recent attacks such as the Sea Turtle hijacking and the DNSpionage, we see an urgent need to come together and respond. The solution, or solutions, that would best improve the security and stability of the DNS ecosystem […]

The 2020 Nominating Committee (NomCom) continues its work to find the most qualified candidates for open ICANN leadership positions. While the COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges, it is important that you know our efforts are proceeding. We are working closely with the ICANN Board and organization (org) to mitigate any issues that arise as […]

In an effort to ensure the security of our online meetings, ICANN is making several changes to our Zoom configuration. The majority of these changes are behind the scenes and will not greatly impact a typical user’s experience in Zoom. However, there are a few important updates to take note of. The largest update is […]

Introduction Any significant event attracts a number of interested parties. Both offline and online, some parties will have good intentions and, unfortunately, others will not. During newsworthy events in particular, domain registrations containing terms related to those events inevitably increase. The global COVID-19 pandemic is no different. We see people registering sites to raise money […]

Keep working: In recent months, several Internet Society Chapters have focused on helping people to keep working during COVID-19 lockdowns. The Benin Chapter recently published a guide to remote work, with recommendations for videoconferencing apps, project management software, and file storage services. “We are facing a real health crisis, COVID-19, which is shaking up our […]

The first-ever Central African Peering Forum comes at a defining moment for Internet peering and interconnection. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have implemented measures to restrict people from moving from their homes, while only allowing essential movements and services. But life cannot stop. Kids still need to study and attend school. People […]

Even before COVID-19, political and economic scenes within the MENA region were changing. Differences across economies, politics, religion, and even the weather kept governments occupied. Amid all that, the region has been shaken by COVID-19 as nations have moved operations into the home. Looking at this from a technology perspective, we must ask ourselves: Are […]

Electronic doorman: In many restaurants, offices, and other locations in China, visitors must now show their COVID-19 risk status through a phone app before they are allowed entry, reports Agence-France Presse on Yahoo News. “A green light lets you in anywhere. A yellow light could send you into home confinement. The dreaded red light throws […]

This opinion piece was originally published in Arizona Central. If anyone doubted the importance of the Internet before the COVID-19 pandemic, those doubts have vanished like toilet paper at Kroger. During this time, the Internet has proved to be a lifeline, delivering the latest coronavirus health and emergency updates, connecting people to coworkers and bosses, and facilitating […]

Today, more than 30 civil society organizations joined in launching the Global Encryption Coalition, to promote and defend encryption in key countries and multilateral gatherings where it is under threat. The new coalition is led by a Steering Committee consisting of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), the Internet Society, and Global Partners Digital. […]

Earlier this year, as COVID-19 began to dominate our lives, the world turned to the Internet. This sudden shift to distance learning, working from home, and families sheltering in place drove up online streaming demand, placing additional load on Internet application platforms like Zoom, Netflix, and educational tools such as Kahoot. There was also a […]

In the midst of a global pandemic, Internet security can be a matter of life and death. Think of how critical the Internet has been to address the COVID-19 public health crisis. It has allowed half the world fortunate enough to have access to stay on top of critical public health updates and stay in […]

Taking advantage: Cyberattackers are reconfiguring the Remcos trojan, which allows them full access to victims’ computers, to include COVID-19 warnings in spam and phishing emails, Security Boulevard reports. “With the economy directly affected by the pandemic, people pay more attention to emails pretending to offer solutions, loans and other types of financial support. Another effective […]

The Internet Society India Chennai Chapter organized a virtual roundtable in March, a few days after the Indian government announced a three-week nationwide lockdown. The virtual roundtable was a conversation on the importance of keeping the Internet open, and on the ways in which the Internet community could contribute to COVID-19 response and recovery in India and around the globe.The virtual […]