I am pleased to update our community on the installation of an ICANN Managed Root Server (IMRS) cluster in Singapore. This new cluster will help to increase the root server capacity for the Asia Pacific region and bolster the resiliency of the entire Root Server System. What is an IMRS cluster? There are 13 root […]

Today, we published the first Public Technical Identifiers (PTI) strategic plan, the last step in fulfilling the implementation plan outlined in the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) stewardship transition by the cross-community working group. To view the strategic plan, click here. For those who might not be aware, as part of the IANA stewardship transition, […]

I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during these unprecedented times. We appreciate all the work our community is undertaking, despite the limitations as a result of COVID-19. I would like to share with you that ICANN org has updated its travel and meetings guidance due to the continued pandemic. Our team […]

As part of an effort to keep the community informed about the evolution of policy and management of registration data, new information about the ICANN org's ongoing projects related to Registration Data Directory Services (RDDS) has been published. This roadmap, which is updated bi-annually, shows RDDS activities in advance of ICANN Board consideration, implementation following […]

ICANN's Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is tasked with the formidable mission: to help improve the technical posture of ICANN in the world. As part of this mission, the OCTO team creates and publishes a portfolio of research papers and technical briefings intended for our diverse technical community. Technical Briefings and White Papers […]

This week, the Board will be meeting remotely from 9 to 11 September to discuss and deliberate on several pressing issues. While the present circumstances continue to disrupt how the Board normally meets and conducts its business, it’s important that we keep our momentum and continue to make meaningful progress toward our goals and established […]

The Domain Name System Security Facilitation Initiative Technical Study Group (DSFI-TSG) is now well underway and has completed its first major milestone: finalizing its charter and scope. Attacks on the DNS rarely impact only one actor in the Internet ecosystem and many attacks can be realized due to multiple threat vectors. As a result, the […]

In May 2020, we shared an update on the 2020 NomCom’s progress with selecting qualified candidates for open ICANN leadership positions. At that time, we advised that the COVID-19 pandemic would require us to revise our timeline. As you know, we normally would have announced the candidates for open leadership positions by now. Due to […]

In March 2019, the Board took action on the Competition, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Choice Review Team (CCT-RT) Final Report. In a subsequent blog, former Board Chair Cherine Chalaby explained how the Board considered the CCT-RT Final Recommendations and provided context for the Board's decision to carry out phased implementation. Since the Board action, work […]

On behalf of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) New generic top-level domain (gTLD) Subsequent Procedures Policy Development Process (PDP) Working Group (WG), we are pleased to announce the publication of our draft Final Report and the start of the Public Comment period. The draft final report is a culmination of the multi-year working group […]

Earlier this year, as part of the European Digital Strategy, the European Commission announced a Digital Services Act package to develop new and revised rules to harmonize and deepen the Single Market for digital services. As a part of that initiative, it also initiated a public consultation to scope the specific issues that may require regulatory intervention. […]

Each year during Chapter Workshops, representatives from across the Internet Society come together to advance their shared vision of an open and trusted Internet for everyone. They gather elbow-to-elbow on five different continents, sharing experiences and exchanging local, regional, and global perspectives. These annual workshops are a meeting ground for Internet Society Chapters, project leads, […]

From the environment to the economy, the Internet is reshaping and disrupting several sectors of our society. What might future patterns of disruption look like? How will these changes affect all of us, particularly those on the margins of society? What new solutions can we generate today, to address the challenges of tomorrow? At the […]

Library access: The Kyrgyzstan Chapter of the Internet Society has started work on version 2.0 of its ilimBox project, an online educational platform for teachers and students. The ilimBox device, now powered by the Raspberry Pi 4, will include new educational videos, audio, and text resources. IlimBox is a digital library for schools and public […]

Hackers vs. the election: Microsoft has warned that hackers from Russia, China, and Iran are targeting U.S. election systems, The Hill reports. The tech giant is seeing increasing efforts to hack into the Donald Trump and Joe Biden presidential campaigns. A Russian hacking group called Strontium has targeted more than 200 organizations, political campaigns, and parties over […]

The country can become a continental digital leader with strengthened Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). In January this year, Internet users in Kenya reached 22.86 million, a 16% jump from 2019. A leap that was made with no major impact on network quality and speed, and no increase in connectivity costs. Between 2012 and now, the […]

The Internet has been revolutionary for human progress. Bit by bit, byte by byte, it has come to underpin modern life. For those of us online today it is hard to imagine (or remember) a world where the Internet was not the fabric of our social lives, education, entertainment, innovation, and culture. But what makes […]

Eyes on you: A U.S. appeals court has ruled that a National Security Agency program that collected call data from millions of U.S. residents was illegal, The Hill reports. The call metadata collection program, exposed by Edward Snowden, was suspended in 2015. The court ruled that the bulk collection of phone records violated laws requiring […]

What makes a great leader? Earlier this year, 473 Chapter Members participated in the 2020 Chapters Training Program. The Internet Society kicked off the program with a lot of hope and excitement. This was an opportunity to harness the power of us – our global community – to incubate innovative ideas and tomorrow’s Internet leaders. The […]

This opinion piece was originally published in Dark Reading. School systems don’t seem like attractive targets, but they house lots of sensitive data, such as contact information, grades, health records, and more. Schools are starting to reopen around the country – some physically, some virtually, and some a hybrid of the two. As a result, the […]