Policy & Regulation

Policy & Regulation / Most Commented

ICANN: A Concrete “Thin Contract” Proposal

It looks as if ICANN is going to require applicants for new TLDs to agree (in advance) not to negotiate a changed contract with ICANN. We agree that streamlining the process is in everyone's interest. Along those lines, we are proposing a substantially thinner contract that ICANN and new registries could use. Existing registries should also be allowed to sign up to this contract, if they wish. more

98% Of Internet’s Main Root Server Queries Are Unnecccary: Should You Be Concerned?

A recent study by researchers at the Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA) at the San Diego Super Computer Center (SDSC) revealed that a staggering 98% of the global Internet queries to one of the main root servers, at the heart of the Internet, were unnecessary. This analysis was conducted on data collected October 4, 2002 from the 'F' root server located in Palo Alto, California.

The findings of the study were originally presented to the North American Network Operators' Group (NANOG) on October 2002 and later discussed with Richard A. Clarke, chairman of the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board and Special Advisor to the U.S. President for Cyber Space Security. more

Evaluating Starlink Performance: Implications for Digital Equity and Regulatory Compliance

Despite its promise of universal access, Starlink often fails to meet broadband benchmarks across key markets. New data reveals fluctuating performance and raises questions about reliability, digital equity, and tiered service models. more

US Senators Move to Shield Undersea Internet Cables from Global Threats

A bipartisan Senate bill seeks to strengthen U.S. oversight and global coordination to protect undersea fiber-optic cables, vital infrastructure increasingly targeted by geopolitical adversaries, natural disasters, and cyber or physical sabotage. more

The hiQ Decision Legalized Infrastructure Theft - We Need a Federal Fix

The hiQ ruling erased legal protections against commercial scraping, leaving infrastructure providers to absorb escalating costs. Without federal action defining data misappropriation, a free-rider AI economy could undermine open networks, investment, and long-term data integrity. more

China Spurs eSIM Boom as Global Connections Set to Quadruple by 2030

Global eSIM connections are projected to reach 4.9 billion by 2030, driven by China's rapid adoption, new provisioning standards, and growing demand across smartphones, industrial devices, and the expanding Internet of Things ecosystem. more

Google’s Lighthouse Lawsuit - Disrupting the Cybercrime Supply Chain

Google's lawsuit against the Lighthouse phishing syndicate exposes the industrial scale of cybercrime, highlighting how criminals exploit easy access to digital infrastructure to scam millions. The broader supply chain enabling such operations demands urgent reform. more

Granular Regulation: A Future-Ready Framework for Effective AI Governance and Beyond

Granular regulation offers a new governance framework for AI, blending flexibility with enforceability. By translating broad principles into risk-sensitive, technical mandates, it overcomes the rigidity of rule-based models and the vagueness of principle-based approaches. more

China Tightens Cybersecurity Rules to Curb AI and Infrastructure Threats

China is revising its cybersecurity laws to include faster reporting requirements and stricter oversight of AI-related incidents, reflecting growing concerns about national security and the unchecked expansion of digital infrastructure. more

Unlike Earlier Revolutions, AI Is Threatening the Professional Class

Unlike past technological shifts, artificial intelligence is automating high-skilled professions before low-skilled ones. This reversal challenges long-held assumptions about job security, expertise, and governance, forcing policymakers to rethink regulation, trust, and digital sovereignty. more

Incremental AI Risk: A Governance Lens for Digital Infrastructure and Public Policy

As artificial intelligence integrates into public infrastructure, it introduces new layers of systemic risk. Policymakers must shift focus from AI's potential to its exposure, applying governance models that reflect these emerging, compound vulnerabilities. more

Using AI to Develop the Informal Sector in Africa

Artificial intelligence is transforming Africa's informal economy by improving access to finance, optimizing business operations, and helping small-scale entrepreneurs transition into the formal sector, despite challenges such as digital illiteracy and infrastructure gaps. more

eco and AV-Test Publish Monthly topDNS Reports for Internet Service Providers

eco's topDNS initiative and AV-Test are publishing monthly reports to help ISPs detect and mitigate DNS abuse by analysing malware, phishing, and PUA trends, creating a long-term data foundation for industry-wide transparency. more

FCC to Review State AI Regulation

The FCC is considering whether it can preempt state-level AI regulations using telecommunications law. Legal precedent and jurisdictional ambiguity, however, make such a maneuver uncertain and likely to face significant industry and judicial resistance. more

Leased, Not Owned: Why the Future of the Internet Is Likely Subscription-Based

From software to network architecture, the internet is shifting from ownership to on-demand access. Subscription models now underpin the digital economy, offering scalability and agility while raising fresh questions about control, cost and compliance. more