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Public Policy

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What is Internet Public Policy?

Our work is based upon our fundamental belief that the Internet is for everyone. In pursuing our objectives, we operate collaboratively and inclusively, working with governments, national and international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and other parties to reach decisions about the Internet that conform to our core values. A primary focus of our public policy work is Internet governance which in 2015 is focused on these three areas:

Our work is informed by the results of our March 2015 Internet Governance Survey and we created an Internet Governance Timeline to help track the many events happening over the course of 2015.

How We Work

We work in a multi-stakeholder fashion towards the development of an Open and Sustainable Internet for the benefit of all people. Because the Internet impacts all of us, we work with partners globally of all shapes and sizes to make sure we can address a wide range of social, economic, and policy issues that interfere with an open and sustainable Internet.  For more information regarding our community and partners please visit our Community and Partners Page.

 

Public Policy Blog

  • The Internet needs Africa as much as Africa needs the Internet - a speech to the African Union

    Note: Today Sally Wentworth, our VP of Global Public Policy, gave the following speech at a meeting of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and Information Technologies (STC-CICT) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    Mr Chairman, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for this opportunity to address this important gathering of leaders from across Africa.  My name is Sally Wentworth and I am the Vice President of Global Public Policy at the Internet Society.   We are grateful for the long-standing...

    Africa Bureau, Public Policy
    Date published 03 September 2015

  • Globalizing IANA: The Internet Society Submits Comments to the ICG

    Today the Internet Society submitted its comments on the proposal to transition the stewardship of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions from the United States Government to the global multistakeholder community.
     
    The Internet Society has consistently advocated for the globalization of the IANA functions. We firmly believe that the global community is ready now to assume this important stewardship role and that a successful completion of this process is a critical step in providing additional confidence in the collaborative and multistakeholder Internet...

    Public Policy
    Date published 03 September 2015

  • No keys under the doormat please

    The Internet technical and operational communities are coming out in strong support of the paper: Keys Under Doormats: Mandating insecurity by requiring government access to all data and communications (KEYS) which concludes:

     

    "... This report’s analysis of law enforcement demands for exceptional access to private communications and data shows that such access will open doors through which criminals and malicious nation-states can attack the very individuals law enforcement seeks to defend. The costs would be substantial, the damage to innovation severe, and the...
    Public Policy, Tech Matters
    Date published 12 August 2015

  • UN Post-2015 Development Agenda Recognizes Need To Expand Internet Access

    I was very pleased to see that earlier this week the United Nations Development Programme reached an agreement on the "post-2015 development agenda" that includes a strong recognition of the role that information and communication technology (ICT) has in bringing about a better world.

    These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are important because they guide the direction of UN activity – and through that the member countries – with regard to improving the lives of people and ensuring peace, prosperity and the sustainability of our planet.

    This new document, "Transforming...

    Public Policy
    Date published 05 August 2015

  • The IANA Stewardship Transition - Now Is The Time To Share Your Views!

    The IANA Stewardship Transition process may have started more than a year ago, but last week it reached its pinnacle with the publication of the compiled Proposal to Transition the Stewardship of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Functions from the US Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to the Global Multistakeholder Community” by the IANA Coordination Group (ICG).

    Now, it is time for all of us to tune in and share our views on this very important proposal.

    This is an historical moment which we can all be part...

    Public Policy
    Date published 05 August 2015

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