Until we meet again…

As I wrap up my tenure at the the helm of the Internet Society on September 1,  I want to thank each and all of you for your engagement, support and friendship.  The last five years have been exhilarating—getting to know you, learning so much from you and acting together — to make the Internet better.

You have made a critical difference in strengthening and growing the Internet Society. The organization is now over 100 staff strong, serving on every continent but Antarctica.  We have grown to 126 Chapters in 108 countries, with 8 global Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) has joined our organizational membership and we have new and vibrant partnerships with civil society and human rights organizations. The IETF has adopted a new structure to better serve its administration. Our
youth outreach and our engagement with the Internet Hall of Fame honorees and ISOC alumni have allowed us to look to the future as we gain wisdom from those who shaped the Internet and the Internet Society. More policy makers and governmental organizations look to us for our reports, research and expertise allowing for increased dialogue and collaboration at a time when it is Continue reading

A Partnership to Tackle Growing Risks in a Connected World

With a shared vision of putting people at the center of the Internet, the Internet Society and Consumers International have formed a new working partnership aimed at creating a safer, more trusted Internet for everyone.

As stated in a joint letter to G20 leaders, both organizations share the view that the unwritten future of the Internet is full of endless opportunity, but that if we want everyone to benefit from its potential we need to make sure it is fair, open, safe and secure.

Only by prioritizing the needs of people in an increasingly-connected world, can we make this possible. Consumers should be confident in their use of Internet-connected devices, and have the right to know how their personal data is collected, protected, shared and stored.

Our organizations plan to work together on a wide range of initiatives including to make sure individuals have access to secure Internet-connected devices, understand what online privacy and security means for them, and are empowered to make informed choices about the technology they use in their daily lives.

The Internet of Things (or IoT) offers the promise of convenience, efficiency and more personalized services. It’s a phenomenon that’s being seen all around the Continue reading

Together Let’s #SwitchItOn and #KeepItOn! The Internet Society Releases Joint Statement with Access Now

This week the Internet Society is at RightsCon, one of the world’s leading conferences on human rights in the digital age. The event brings together business leaders, policy makers, government representatives, technologists, and human rights defenders from around the world.

We are proud to stand together with Access Now in our belief that a globally connected, secure and trusted Internet is the foundation for exercising our online rights. We are proud to release this joint statement calling for an open Internet that includes everyone.

Please support our call to the nations of the world to #SwitchItOn and #KeepItOn.

Read the statement here

Visit our #SwitchItOn page and find out more about Community Networks.

Image © Nyani Quarmyne: Ucha Seturi (left), Murmani Tcharelidze and a helpful visiting journalist giving raising a tower near Koklata in Tusheti, Georgia, on 23 July 2017.

The post Together Let’s #SwitchItOn and #KeepItOn! The Internet Society Releases Joint Statement with Access Now appeared first on Internet Society.

2018: Advocacy and Action

Happy New Year!

2018 offers exciting promise and opportunity for the Internet Society and the work of our global community for a better Internet. We’ll continue the positive momentum we started in 2017, when we celebrated our 25 year milestone and strengthened our impact around the globe.

Thank you to all who joined us on this amazing journey.  Take a look back at many of last year’s highlights.

Our ongoing mission to protect and to shape the Internet for future generations is not an easy task. However, we are well positioned with the people, resources, and commitment from across our global community to be a bold, powerful force for change.

To carry forward our focus on access and trust as the two most pressing issues facing the Internet today, in 2018 we will execute our Action Plan that outlines our advocacy efforts in these areas with a detailed set of priorities for maximum impact. In addition, we will continue to extend our community and organization to build a stronger foundation for realizing our vision, and foster new initiatives that respond to today’s rapidly changing world.

While I have announced my plans to pass on the CEO baton once the Continue reading

The Internet is at a crossroads: we have a choice to make

As we look around at a rapidly changing world that is shaped more and more by the digital domain, we see an Internet that faces many challenges. We see an Internet at a crossroads, where we have critical choices to make about its evolution in the years to come.

Those choices will determine whether we continue to benefit from an Internet that opens up a world of opportunity for everyone online, or whether we grow more fearful of it as a negative influence on our lives.  People’s hopes and fears about the Internet today are dividing us and its future.

The notion of hope and progress has defined our view of the Internet since its inception. Its own growth has taken it from obscure computer-to-computer connections to a social and economic powerhouse. It is the platform on which young people and an ever-growing number of women can invent their own futures. Small enterprises and communities all over the world are using digital tools to mobilize and empower themselves to access new markets, grow their economies and provide vital services to their citizens.

Of course, we must see the adoption of the Internet for what it is: a reflection of everything in society itself.

In light of growing sentiment that the Internet is fueling Continue reading

Passing on the CEO Baton

The Internet Society has come far in its 25 years, and as its CEO for just some of that time I feel immense privilege in having been part of the organization’s continued growth and evolution.

Now, more than ever, I feel that the work we all do is the most consequential any of us will do in this challenging time. I continue to be inspired by the Internet Society, its staff and its loyal community every day.

So, it was with very mixed emotions that at the recent Internet Society Board of Trustees meeting in Singapore, I informed the Board that I will not be seeking an extension of my contract as CEO when it is due for renewal at the end of 2018.

With so many accomplishments behind us and at a time when the Internet itself is in the midst of rapid change, I firmly believe that the Internet Society is primed and ready to take on a stronger, more influential role in shaping the future of the Internet for the next generation of users. Knowing this, it also feels like the right time to pass on the CEO baton to the next generation of Internet Continue reading

Recognizing Internet visionaries, innovators, and leaders from around the world

As the Internet Society celebrates 25 years of advocacy for an open, globally-connected, and secure Internet, we are honored to recognize some of the trailblazers who have fueled the Internet’s historic growth.

On September 18, the Internet Society gathered to honor the fourth class of Internet Hall of Fame Inductees at UCLA, where nearly 50 years ago the first message was sent over the Internet’s predecessor, the ARPANET.  Over the years, the Internet has evolved thanks to the tireless efforts of individuals, including these inductees, who believed in the potential of an open Internet.

Representing 10 countries, the 14 individuals who comprise the 2017 inductee class are computer scientists, academics, inventors and authors who have advanced the Internet with key technical contributions,  fostered its global reach and increased the general public’s understanding of how it works—in turn accelerating global accessibility and usage among us all.

Ultimately, the success of the Internet depends on the people behind it, and these inductees personify the pioneering spirit of the ‘Innovators’ and ‘Global Connectors’ that have been so instrumental in bringing us this unprecedented technology. They are some of the earliest Internet evangelists and their work has been the foundation for so Continue reading

Keeping the door open

Last week we announced the names of twenty-five individuals who were selected as the awardees of our 25 under 25 program, an initiative which recognizes young people from around the globe who are using the Internet to make a positive difference.

The program forms part of the Internet Society’s 25th Anniversary celebrations this month, including a special recognition ceremony planned in Los Angeles, California on Monday 18 September for the 25 under 25. We invited all twenty-five awardees to Los Angeles to take part and receive their awards in person but we have learnt that unfortunately, not everyone will be able to travel. Three of the awardees have not been granted visas to enter the United States.

On hearing this news one awardee, Mariano Gomez, penned us an open letter. In it, he explains his frustration at a process which required him to travel over several days to a ten minute interview which resulted in rejection. He described with utter clarity the irony of being denied entry due to the very conditions he hopes to address with the innovations he is pursuing on the Internet.

We understand and applaud Mariano’s statement. Not only are we disappointed that he and two Continue reading

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