Internet Governance

ICANN’s Community TLD Policy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as 2026 gTLD Round Advances

BRS Media is urging ICANN to assess whether community domains approved in the 2012 new gTLD round have served their intended communities, as concerns over preferential treatment resurface in the 2026 application round.

ITU Meeting in Doha to Consider Proposals Affecting Global Internet Governance

Governments meeting in Doha will consider proposals to revise how international telecommunications regulations are reviewed, raising questions about the ITU's responsibilities and their relationship with existing Internet governance organizations.

ICANN Outlines Internet Governance Agenda for IGF 2026

ICANN outlines its IGF 2026 agenda in Nairobi, focusing on multilingual Internet access, multistakeholder governance and Africa's technical community, with discussions on Universal Acceptance, new gTLDs and participation following the WSIS+20 review.

ITU Receives New IPv6 and Internet Governance Proposals Ahead of November Conference

New proposals submitted to the ITU address IPv6 deployment, internationalized domain names and Internet governance, with competing regional amendments awaiting consideration at the November Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha.

France Proposes One-Hour Social Media Removal Rule After Secret DNS-Blocking Plans

France has proposed legislation allowing authorities to block social media platforms over prohibited content, following revelations that telecom operators were asked to prepare geographically targeted DNS restrictions during protests.

ICANN Names Three Independent Objectors to Review 2026 New gTLD Applications

ICANN has appointed three independent objectors for the 2026 new-gTLD round, establishing a mechanism to challenge applications on public-interest and community grounds, with safeguards against institutional interference.

RIPE NCC Freezes Internet Number Resources Under EU Sanctions, but Routing Remains Unaffected

RIPE NCC has frozen Internet number resources linked to 28 newly sanctioned entities under EU rules. The restrictions block resource transfers and new allocations but do not automatically interrupt network routing or connectivity.

Access Now Documents Years-Long Internet Shutdowns Across Conflict Regions

Access Now documents prolonged Internet shutdowns in Myanmar, Ethiopia and other conflict-affected regions, highlighting persistent connectivity restrictions, damaged telecommunications infrastructure and the difficulty of determining when meaningful access has been restored.

ICANN87 in Bali Puts DNS Abuse and New gTLD Implementation in Focus

ICANN87 in Bali brings DNS abuse mitigation, registrant protections and the next gTLD round into focus as policymakers examine implementation challenges affecting domain registries, registrars and Internet users.

Dutch Police Seize Italian Internet Provider’s Server at US Request

Dutch police seized a server belonging to Italian Internet provider Autistici/Inventati at US authorities' request, raising questions about cross-border law enforcement, terrorism sanctions and the vulnerability of European Internet infrastructure to American legal measures.

ICANN Board to Review New gTLD Round Milestones, Root Server Governance Ahead of ICANN87

ICANN's Board will review milestones for the 2026 new gTLD round, root server governance reforms and preparations for international Internet governance meetings, with key implementation questions remaining unresolved.

ICANN Study Links 56% of Malicious Domains to Related Registrations

ICANN researchers identified associated domains for 56.4% of malicious registrations studied, introducing a public-data detection method that could inform DNS abuse investigations and proposed registrar obligations.

ICANN Comment Period Closes on Linking gTLDs With Alternative Naming Systems

ICANN is closing consultation on technical rules for linking gTLDs with matching alternative naming systems, as commenters debate controller requirements, security safeguards, policy boundaries and protections for existing registrations.

Researchers Warn EU AI Rules Are Deepening Reliance on Big Tech

Researchers argue the EU's AI framework increasingly makes major technology companies co-stewards of regulation, raising concerns that reliance on private infrastructure and technical expertise could strengthen incumbents' influence over how AI rules are implemented.

After the Close: What the 2026 gTLD Round Has Already Revealed

ICANN's 2026 gTLD round drew more than 1,600 applications, led by ambitious portfolio investors. But scant brand disclosures and new rules banning private settlements could make contention costlier and reshape the economics of domain ownership.