Latest news with #SallyWentworth
Korea Herald
10-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
What Holds the Internet Together and Why It's Now at Risk
A new report from ICANN and the Internet Society details how the Internet Governance Forum has supported a stable and secure Internet—and why that model is now under strain. PRAGUE, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As global discussions intensify around the future of Internet governance, two of the Internet's long-standing technical institutions—the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Internet Society (ISOC)—are urging renewed focus on what has kept the Internet open and operational for more than two decades: collaborative coordination across borders and sectors. Released today, the joint report Footprints of 20 Years of the Internet Governance Forum illustrates how cooperation among governments, engineers, civil society, and businesses has helped maintain a single, secure, and globally accessible Internet. The report draws from a range of technical, policy, and infrastructure outcomes that have emerged through the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and its broader network. "The Internet didn't stay unified by chance. Its resilience is the result of people and institutions working across borders and sectors," said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO. "This report underscores that the Internet's success is not accidental; it's coordinated. If we value a single, secure, and interoperable Internet, then we must recommit to the model that made it possible." "For twenty years, the IGF has shown that multistakeholder governance delivers," said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. "Its footprint spans infrastructure, security, access, and policy—often in places where conventional governance falls short. But the gains we've made are only as strong as our commitment to keep investing in them." Key Findings A Pivotal Moment The report is being launched ahead of the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20), a milestone that is expected to influence how global digital cooperation evolves in the coming decade. Against this backdrop, ICANN and ISOC are calling for renewed attention to the institutions and frameworks that have supported a unified, secure, and open Internet. Rather than offering abstract conclusions, the report is structured around practical and globally sourced examples. It aims to inform current debates by showing what has worked and what could be at risk if support for distributed, collaborative governance falters. Download the full report. About ICANN ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world. For more information, please visit: About the Internet Society Founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society is a global non-profit organization working to ensure the Internet is for everyone. Through its community of members, special interest groups, and 130+ chapters around the world, the organization defends and promotes Internet policies, standards, and protocols that keep the Internet open, globally connected, and secure. For more information, please visit:
Cision Canada
10-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
What Holds the Internet Together and Why It's Now at Risk
A new report from ICANN and the Internet Society details how the Internet Governance Forum has supported a stable and secure Internet—and why that model is now under strain. PRAGUE, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- As global discussions intensify around the future of Internet governance, two of the Internet's long-standing technical institutions—the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Internet Society (ISOC)—are urging renewed focus on what has kept the Internet open and operational for more than two decades: collaborative coordination across borders and sectors. Released today, the joint report Footprints of 20 Years of the Internet Governance Forum illustrates how cooperation among governments, engineers, civil society, and businesses has helped maintain a single, secure, and globally accessible Internet. The report draws from a range of technical, policy, and infrastructure outcomes that have emerged through the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and its broader network. "The Internet didn't stay unified by chance. Its resilience is the result of people and institutions working across borders and sectors," said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO. "This report underscores that the Internet's success is not accidental; it's coordinated. If we value a single, secure, and interoperable Internet, then we must recommit to the model that made it possible." "For twenty years, the IGF has shown that multistakeholder governance delivers," said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. "Its footprint spans infrastructure, security, access, and policy—often in places where conventional governance falls short. But the gains we've made are only as strong as our commitment to keep investing in them." Key Findings Infrastructure Impact Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), which allow local Internet traffic to be exchanged more efficiently, more than doubled in Africa over the past decade. This growth has reduced latency, improved service quality, and cut operational costs for providers. Global Reach More than 4.4 million domain names are now registered in non-Latin scripts, significantly expanding digital access for communities using Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese, and other scripts. Universal Acceptance Day 2025 was marked by over 50 international events promoting full linguistic functionality across the Internet ecosystem. Internet Security at Scale Today, 93 percent of top-level domains are protected using Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), a protocol that helps prevent DNS-based cyberattacks by verifying data authenticity. In parallel, more than 1,000 networks around the world have adopted the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS), an initiative that promotes responsible routing practices and mitigates systemic vulnerabilities. Policy Engagement Over 180 National and Regional Internet Governance Forums (NRIs) are active worldwide. Youth IGFs have brought new perspectives into national and international policy dialogues, while the IGF Parliamentary Track has helped shape legislative thinking on digital trust, rights, and inclusion. A Pivotal Moment The report is being launched ahead of the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20), a milestone that is expected to influence how global digital cooperation evolves in the coming decade. Against this backdrop, ICANN and ISOC are calling for renewed attention to the institutions and frameworks that have supported a unified, secure, and open Internet. Rather than offering abstract conclusions, the report is structured around practical and globally sourced examples. It aims to inform current debates by showing what has worked and what could be at risk if support for distributed, collaborative governance falters. Download the full report. About ICANN ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world. For more information, please visit: About the Internet Society Founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society is a global non-profit organization working to ensure the Internet is for everyone. Through its community of members, special interest groups, and 130+ chapters around the world, the organization defends and promotes Internet policies, standards, and protocols that keep the Internet open, globally connected, and secure. For more information, please visit:
Zawya
04-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Internet Society Extends Multi-Year Partnership with Meta and Announces Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative
As leaders in mobile technology and connectivity gather in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, the Internet Society ( global charitable organization championing an open, globally connected, and secure Internet—today announced the expansion of its partnership with Meta ( with the launch of a new Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative. The initiative aims to scale up efforts to expand affordable, reliable, and sustainable Internet access globally, with both the Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation committing a $30 million investment through 2030. Meta has joined as the first co-funding partner as the Internet Society calls for additional partners to support the vision of a more equitable, connected world. Across the globe, 2.6 billion people lack access to the Internet, excluding them from vital opportunities in education, healthcare, economic growth, and civic participation. Through the new Co-Funding Initiative, the Internet Society is leveraging its decades of expertise, global network, proven grant-making systems, and advocacy to help enable policies to address these issues. Meta is the first company to join the Co-Funding following a successful partnership ( with the Internet Society. Since 2018, the two organizations have collaborated to develop Internet Exchange Point (IXP) infrastructure, train technical communities, and measure Internet resilience in countries around the world. Specifically, the Co-Funding focuses on investing in community-centered infrastructure development, addressing market gaps and advocacy, and providing training to build technical capacity. It aims to: Increase Funding and Advocacy: Fund infrastructure deployment and empower communities to manage their networks. Address Market Gaps: Address market failures where commercial providers see no viable business case. Enhance Training: Scale training programs to build technical capacity, empower marginalized groups, and develop the next generation of Internet leaders. Improve Community-Centered Solutions: Build and strengthen last-mile community-centered solutions for people, businesses, schools and health facilities in underserved areas. Build Sustainable Networks: Support locally owned, scalable, and sustainable networks that create jobs and foster entrepreneurship, retain value within communities, and promote self-reliance. Mobilize Advocates: Increase global impact by working with the Internet Society's 130 local chapters and 133,000 members worldwide. 'Over the past several years, our partnership with Meta has resulted in 56 IXPs in 45 countries, giving millions of people faster, more affordable, and reliable Internet access,' said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. 'This new Connectivity Co-Funding initiative, supported by Meta, is a prime example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people across the world with insufficient or no Internet. It is our hope that this fund plays a pivotal role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society.' "Meta is proud to extend our collaboration with the Internet Society, reinforcing our commitment to bridging the digital divide. Together, we aim to empower communities worldwide with sustainable and equitable Internet access, fostering innovation and connectivity for all, said Aaron Russell, Director of Edge Network Infrastructure. This partnership complements our existing infrastructure investments, including subsea cables, which help make the Internet ecosystem more reliable and lower the overall cost of providing access.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Internet Society. Press Contact: Allesandra deSantillana Internet Society desantillana@ Press@ About the Internet Society: Founded by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is a global charitable organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. Through a global community of chapters and members, the Internet Society collaborates with a wide range of groups to promote the technologies that keep the Internet safe and secure and advocates for policies that enable universal access. The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) About Meta: Meta is building the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta and Internet Society team up to expand internet access around the world
Meta and the Internet Society have established the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative, which aims to expand affordable internet connection around the world. They announced the new project at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The partners are committing a $30 million investment through 2030 that will go to funding infrastructure development in various communities, specifically those overlooked or intentionally ignored by commercial providers. In addition, the initiative's money will go towards training programs that improve the technical know-how of marginalized grounds, to community-centered solutions for underserved areas, as well as to locally owned networks that create jobs. This an expansion of the non-profit organization's partnership with Meta, which started years ago when they worked together to improve internet connectivity in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America by developing Internet exchange points. These points, or IXPs, are physical locations where internet providers can exchange traffic. Meta is only the Internet Society's first partner for the Co-Funding Initiative, and the non-profit org is putting out a call for more partners who can help grow that fund. "This new Connectivity Co-Funding initiative, supported by Meta, is a prime example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people across the world with insufficient or no Internet," said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. "It is our hope that this fund plays a pivotal role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society." Engadget will be reporting all the latest mobile and smartphone news from MWC 2025 as it happens the week of March 2.
