The Internet No Longer Needs Permission

Governance rules built for the early Internet are struggling to keep pace with a global, automated network. As IPv4 markets mature and infrastructure becomes software-defined, registries may need to prioritise transparency and automation over permission. more

Rising Costs of Broadband Construction

Despite steady expansion of fibre networks, the cost of building them is rising. New survey data show labour-heavy construction, higher aerial costs and persistent inflation pressures likely to push deployment expenses higher in 2026. more

Want to Help Ensure the Internet Remains Open? Internet Society Seeks Nominations for 2025 Board of Trustees

Do you (or someone you know) believe that people everywhere should have access to affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet connectivity? Are you passionate about ensuring that people everywhere have an Internet experience that is safe, secure, and protects them online? Do you have leadership experience in business, government, philanthropy, and/or the nonprofit sector? more

Celebrating 40 Years of .COM

Last month marked 40 years since the registration of the world's first ever .com domain name – symbolics.com – in March 1985. It’s a time to reflect both on the role .com has played in the evolution and growth of the internet over the past 40 years, and on the importance of ensuring that .com remains secure, stable, and resilient for the billions of people who rely on it every day. Who could have imagined in 1985 that over the course of the next four decades, internet users would register hundreds of millions of domain names... more

How Bad Actors Are Leveraging DNS: Looking at the Latest Trends

Bad actors are exploiting DNS with growing sophistication. New domains dominate threat infrastructure, daily user exposures are rising, and AI is accelerating attack creation, making DNS intelligence an increasingly critical early-warning system for modern cyber defence. more

How Trump’s Trade War is Reshaping the Global Internet

In January 2025, President Donald Trump -- now serving his second non-consecutive term -- unveiled a sweeping tariff regime designed to recalibrate America's global trade relationships. Among the measures was a blanket 10% tariff on all imported goods, accompanied by higher, so-called "reciprocal" tariffs targeting specific regions: 20% on EU imports and a dramatic 145% on goods from China. While these heightened rates were temporarily paused on April 9, 2025, for 90 days (excluding China), the 10% baseline tariff remains broadly in effect, symbolizing a shift toward an overtly protectionist economic doctrine. more

The Hyperscale IPv4 Moat: Analyzing AWS’s Latest 9M Address Acquisition

AWS has quietly acquired nine million more IPv4 addresses, turning internet scarcity into strategic leverage. As hyperscalers consolidate dwindling supply worldwide, IPv4 is evolving from legacy protocol into a profitable infrastructure moat for cloud giants. more

Competing Trademarks, One .BRAND: Making the Right Call in 2026

As ICANN opens its 2026 round, firms sharing trademarks must weigh applying for a .BRAND domain against legal risks and competitive loss, with evidence suggesting first movers gain advantage while objections rarely prevail. more

The Rapid Evolution of Transport Lasers

Exploding internet traffic and AI demand are driving a rapid upgrade in fibre transport lasers, from early one gigabit systems to 400, 800 and even 1.6 terabit links reshaping backbone capacity worldwide as networks scale. more

Internet Number Resources Are Not Political Property

Internet number resources, once clerical entries, now underpin real economic value, exposing a mismatch between registry power and accountability, while misplaced political narratives obscure the case for decentralised, operator-led control. more

Reflecting on WSIS+20 and Youth’s Role in Redefining Stakeholder Classification

At ICANN85, reflection on WSIS+20 highlights a quieter milestone: youth successfully secured recognition as a distinct stakeholder group, reshaping how Internet governance defines participation and offering a blueprint for other overlooked communities seeking voice today. more

The Ghost Asset on Telco Balance Sheets: Using IPv4 to Fund the AI Transition

Hidden on telecom balance sheets, legacy IPv4 address space is emerging as a monetizable asset. Leasing underutilized blocks can generate recurring cash flow that helps fund AI infrastructure, modernization, and network investment without increasing debt. more

How DNSXplore Strengthens Internet Trust Across the Global DNSSEC Landscape

A once-trusted internet protocol is showing its age. DNSXplore, a global DNSSEC archive, exposes weaknesses, improves diagnostics and nudges adoption, helping secure the cryptographic chain underpinning online trust. more

Iran Targeted by Self-Propagating Malware in Supply-Chain Cyberattacks

Self-propagating malware hidden in open-source software is targeting Iranian systems, wiping data on infected machines while sparing others, signalling a shift towards precise, politically motivated cyber sabotage through widely trusted digital supply chains. more

Regional Internet Registries’ Thick Governance Turns Uniqueness Into Double Extraction

Regional Internet registries, built for coordination, now sit atop scarce IPv4 assets while bearing little liability, suppressing capitalization and imposing "double extraction" that weakens operators, distorts markets and threatens the stability of global internet uniqueness. more