Action Plan 2022
A Healthy Internet
for Future Generations

Three decades ago, it was an ordinary object you’d find in a kitchen: a wok. But through ingenuity and the desire to make the world a better place, it was repurposed as a Wi-Fi antenna, making Internet access possible for those hardest to reach.

There is no doubt about it: The Internet has unleashed human creativity, determination, and innovation—and since the Internet Society’s founding 30 years ago, people have applied these qualities to address the world’s biggest challenges.

The Internet needs these people.

Growing, protecting, and strengthening the Internet has been essential for decades, yet the next 30 years will be pivotal. Right now, we have the chance to shape how the world accesses and uses the Internet.

The actions we take now are critical.

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The Internet Society’s Action Plan 2022 provides a roadmap to keep the Internet a resource for everyone, everywhere.

For decades to come.

Growing the Internet

Accelerating technological innovation and the digitization of essential services like healthcare and education are leading to a wider digital divide. Inequalities are deepening, with some countries, communities, and regions are benefitting from fast, affordable Internet connections, while others lack access altogether. This must change.

In 2022, the Internet Society will grow the Internet by helping community networks succeed; developing local Internet ecosystems and strengthening cross-border interconnection; supporting new and established technical communities; measuring the health, availability, and evolution of the Internet; and exploring opportunities related to Low Earth Orbit satellites (LEOs).

Deploying and Growing Community Networks

For nearly half the world, on every continent in rural, remote, and even urban communities alike, each day without Internet access is a day of lost opportunity. Community networks are a way to bridge this connectivity gap.

Deploying and Growing Community Networks

Community networks are a way to bridge
the connectivity gap.

Deploying and Growing Community Networks
Deploying and Growing Community Networks

In 2022, we will continue to
support community networks by:

  • Building and deploying
    3 new community networks
  • Improving 7 existing
    community networks
  • Delivering helpful materials to
    at least 1,000 people
  • Training a minimum of 300 people
    through our courses

Fostering Sustainable Peering Infrastructure

A considerable amount of money is spent every year to route Internet traffic through expensive international links. This circuitous route negatively impacts the user experience and increases local Internet costs. Increased costs can delay user uptake and opportunity. Reports and studies have shown that Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are not only effective in improving the end-user experience and lowering cost of access, but they also prompt development of the local Internet ecosystem and cross-border interconnection.

IXPs improve the end-user experience, lower cost of access, and prompt development of local Internet ecosystems and cross-border interconnection.

The Internet Society remains committed to growing the peering ecosystem through the development of IXPs across the globe and to strengthening interconnection so that the Internet is cheaper, faster, and more resilient.

Fostering Sustainable Peering Infrastructure

In 2022, we will deliver on our commitment by:

  • Developing 3 new IXPs
  • Providing support to 10 existing
    IXPs
  • Amplifying the efforts of 8 IXP
    development organizations
  • Encouraging 3 regional IXP
    associations to adopt our 50%
    local-traffic vision
Fostering Sustainable Peering Infrastructure

Enabling Sustainable Technical Community

Technical communities—including Network Operator Groups, National Research and Education Networks, Domain Name System Forums, Regional Internet Registries, and peering forums—are at the heart of a sustainable local Internet ecosystem. They play a vital role in identifying communities in need, nurturing strong technical experts, and building relationships with local partners with whom we collaborate.

Enabling Sustainable Technical Community

Technical communities play a vital role in identifying
communities in need, nurturing strong technical
experts, and building relationships with local partners.

Enabling Sustainable Technical Community
Enabling Sustainable Technical Community

In 2022, we will continue to
support sustainable technical
communities by:

  • Establishing 5 new technical
    communities
  • Ensuring at least 1,800 people
    participate in our relevant courses

Measuring the Internet

The Pulse platform is a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, journalists, network operators, civil society groups, technologists, and Internet enthusiasts who rely on trusted data and insights to influence outcomes for an open, globally connected, trustworthy, and secure Internet.

Since its launch in 2020, Internet Society Pulse has provided meaningful, reliable, and understandable data about the health, availability, and evolution of the Internet.

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Internet Society Pulse has provided meaningful, reliable, and understandable data about the health, availability, and evolution of the Internet.

Measuring the Internet

In 2022, we will focus on:

  • Increasing page views and social
    media engagement by 50%
    compared to 2021
  • Garnering 12 media mentions of the
    Pulse platform
  • Developing 4 new partnerships with
    data and research providers
Measuring the Internet

Low Earth Orbit Satellites

Companies such as SpaceX, Amazon, OneWeb, Telesat, and others are racing to launch large systems of Low Earth Orbit satellites (LEOs) to provide Internet access. Could they help bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural regions, or will they create more challenges?

We will explore the pros and cons of LEOs for addressing the digital divide—and what factors policymakers and technologists should think about when examining them.

Low Earth Orbit Satellites

Could LEOs help bridge the digital divide or will they create more challenges?

Low Earth Orbit Satellites
Low Earth Orbit Satellites

In 2022, we will:

  • Explore these considerations in
    collaboration with our community
  • Develop a public position about
    LEOs

Strengthening the Internet

The Internet was built to be built upon. Its open architecture makes it a critical resource for people across vast distances to come together to innovate and create for the greater good. This open architecture, however, leaves the structure and regulation of the Internet vulnerable to powerful parties.

In 2022, the Internet Society will promote and defend the Internet by equipping people to protect the strong foundation of the Internet, advocating for end-to-end encryption, securing global routing, facilitating knowledge exchange about network and distributed system security, and examining the many ways digital sovereignty is interpreted by those who seek to assert it.

Internet Way of Networking

The Internet is for everyone, but it’s not just our privilege to use it. It’s our collective responsibility to protect it. Over decades, the Internet has become a critical resource offering those with access virtually infinite opportunities to innovate and work together for the collective good.

To protect the Internet, we must illustrate what the Internet needs to work for everyone, champion Internet impact assessments as a best practice in decision-making processes, and place community at the forefront of advocacy efforts to make sure policy and technology developments support the Internet Way of Networking.

Internet Way of Networking

The Internet is for everyone, but it’s not just our privilege to use it. It’s our collective responsibility to protect it.

Internet Way of Networking

In 2022, we will:

  • Add 2 new courses to our Internet Way of Networking e-learning program
  • Produce a public repository of crowdsourced Internet impact briefs
  • Add 10 additional screening reports to the repository
  • Train Internet Society staff on conducting Internet impact assessments
  • Reach 200 downloads of our advocacy playbook
Internet Way of Networking

Extending Encryption

We continue to observe governments around the world making policy choices that could undermine encryption, which puts people’s personal security and privacy at risk, threatens economic development, and compromises the Internet’s global trustworthiness. We stand against policies or legislation that would encourage or force companies to weaken or limit the use of strong encryption.

We will continue to focus on advocacy, with the aim of engaging policymakers who have the power to either endorse use of strong encryption or to undermine it.

Extending Encryption

We will equip the Global Encryption Coalition and the Internet Society community with the tools needed to help increase awareness of the value of encryption.

Extending Encryption
Extending Encryption

In 2022, together we will:

  • Engage in 750 advocacy activities
  • Grow the Global Encryption Coalition
    to 400 members

Securing Global Routing

From sending email to streaming videos, to making financial transactions, information travels across the Internet constantly. The global Internet routing system ensures the information arrives at its intended destination. However, by virtue of being open, the Internet’s global routing system is vulnerable to leaks, errors, and even attacks from nefarious actors. These can lead to misdirection of traffic and denial of service, resulting in reputational damage, lost revenue, and exposure of sensitive data.

We will continue to promote routing security and aim for broader uptake by network operators in routing security measures. Additionally, we will continue providing ongoing support to transition MANRS to a community-designed and community-led effort.

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By virtue of being open, the Internet’s global routing system is vulnerable to leaks, errors, and even attacks from nefarious actors.

Securing Global Routing

In 2022, we will aim for the following targets:

  • 15% increase in Route Origin Authorization creation by MANRS participants
  • 5% increase of existing MANRS participants implementing Route Origin Validation
  • 25% reduction in the number of non-conforming MANRS participants after joining
Securing Global Routing
Sharing Cutting Edge Knowledge at NDSS
Sharing Cutting Edge Knowledge at NDSS

To ensure the event is cutting edge, dynamic, and meaningful, we will:

  • Expand funding through sponsorship and grants with a target of $45,000
  • Facilitate at least 2 collaborations between the NDSS research community and the open standards community
  • Maintain NDSS as a top-5 premier academic research symposium for computer and network security in the world
Exploring Digital Sovereignty and Opportunities for the Internet

In 2022, we will:

  • Examine the ways digital
    sovereignty is interpreted
  • Determine our position on digital
    sovereignty with our community
  • Provide a foundation for future
    analysis
Exploring Digital Sovereignty and Opportunities for the Internet

Empowering People to Take Action

Change happens when people with different opinions, ideas, and expertise engage in collective action toward a common goal. Our community of energetic and committed Individual Members, Organizational Members, Chapters, and SIGs bring positive change for the Internet by taking action in their own communities and regions. Through activities like volunteering, fundraising and advocacy, the Internet Society comes together to make the Internet bigger and stronger.

We will continue to empower Internet champions to take concerted action, focus on opportunities that support sustainable growth and greater impact, and amplify the positive impact we can achieve together.

In 2022, our efforts will include: strengthening our community by equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need; growing our pool of Internet champions through learning and fellowship opportunities; implementing improved tools that our community uses to connect with one another; pursuing partnership and funding opportunities to scale our efforts; and leveraging our subject matter expertise to shape legal precedent that aligns with our mission.

Sharing Knowledge Globally to Inspire Action Locally
Sharing Knowledge Globally to Inspire Action Locally

In 2022, we will:

  • Train 500 chapter members on
    topics fundamental to our mission
  • Encourage at least 20% of trained
    participants to implement an
    activity in their local community

Special Interest Group Topics:

  • Internet for Education
  • Online Safety
  • Internet of Things
  • Affordable Internet Access
  • Cybersecurity
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Standing Group Topics:

  • Accessibility
  • Gender
  • Youth
Mobilizing Individual Members

We will:

  • Audit our core communication
    channels
  • Continue our membership
    newsletter
  • Add a new subscription-based,
    tailored newsletter to our portfolio
Mobilizing Individual Members
Securing Resources for Growth and Greater Impact
Securing Resources for Growth and Greater Impact

In 2022, we will focus on:

  • Securing US$390,000 in sponsorships and US$600,000 in grants
  • Securing 16 new sources of funding
  • Securing 25 additional partners

Driving Action through Knowledge

When people are trained on technical, business, and/or policy aspects of growing and strengthening the Internet, they can more effectively build, promote, and defend it.

Through Learning @ Internet Society, our training and development program, we build the expertise of those who share our mission, so they are equipped with the knowledge they need to champion the Internet.

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We build the expertise of those who share our mission, so they are equipped with the knowledge they need to champion the Internet.

Driving Action through Knowledge

In 2022, we will:

  • Enroll at least 10,000+ people in our e-learning courses
  • Aim for a 92% satisfaction rating
    from those who complete the courses
Driving Action through Knowledge

Empowering Internet Advocates

Our impact is amplified when we equip the Internet champions of the future and empower the Internet champions of today.

To develop and equip our network of Internet champions, we will continue to offer the Early Career Fellowship, the Internet Governance Forum Youth Ambassador Program, and Internet Engineering Task Force Policy Program. We will also launch our Mid Career Fellowship, which is designed for Internet leaders who seek to advance their Internet-related careers by leveling up their skills and expertise.

Empowering Internet Advocates

Our impact is amplified when we equip the Internet champions of the future and empower the Internet champions of today.

Empowering Internet Advocates
Empowering Internet Advocates

In 2022, we will:

  • Empower 85 fellows
  • Launch our Mid Career Fellowship
  • Build an impactful global
    alumni network

Strengthening Our Community Connections and Participation

Our community of dedicated individuals, organizations, and volunteers rely on software systems to stay connected to fellow community members and to engage with our efforts to make the Internet bigger and stronger.

We will continue efforts to modernize our platforms, including our association management and relationship management systems. We will ensure these platforms meet the needs of our community and provide the support they need to bring about global change in favor of an open, globally connected, trustworthy, and secure Internet.

Strengthening Our Community Connections and Participation

We will continue efforts to modernize our platforms, including our association management and relationship management systems.

Strengthening Our Community Connections and Participation

In 2022, we will focus on:

  • Implementing updated systems and tools
  • Decommissioning any systems and tools that are outdated or no longer used
Strengthening Our Community Connections and Participation

As an expert voice for a bigger, stronger Internet, we are positioned to offer subject-matter and technical expertise to courts. The new amicus curiae “friend of the court” initiative will help shape legal precedent in favor of an open, globally connected, trustworthy, and secure Internet. It will also create avenues for strengthening collaboration with our organizational members and building alliances with other organizations.

We anticipate four other organizations that are similarly committed to Internet-related matters will seek our support in the coordination of, or sign on to their briefs.

Shaping Legal Precedent in Alignment with Our Mission

As an expert voice for a bigger, stronger Internet, we are positioned to offer subject-matter and technical expertise to courts.

Shaping Legal Precedent in Alignment with Our Mission
Shaping Legal Precedent in Alignment with Our Mission

In 2022, we will:

  • Identify up to 6 important,
    precedential cases and
    controversies
  • Pursue 2 of which by filing briefs at appropriate U.S. courts of law
  • Leverage amicus briefs as a way for
    others to collaborate with us

Making Our
Vision a Reality

Through the Internet Society’s 30 years, the Internet has evolved to have a profound impact on our society, changing the way many of us live. Fittingly, the very nature of this growth—rapid, exponential—has led us to a tipping point. As the Internet has shaped much of what our world looks like now, our society has begun to shape the Internet in profound ways, too.

Whether natural or human-made, barriers exist that keep billions of people on the wrong side of the digital divide—and as you read these words, policies are being debated that could harm the Internet as we know it.

Where our society lands on both these issues will resonate for decades to come.

Imagine a world in which every single person who wants to, can access the Internet enjoying all its benefits free of interference from those who wish to regulate it.

We have a chance to make this vision a reality now. To create an equitable and accessible Internet for everyone. This Action Plan shows us how.

By working alongside our global community, we will ensure the Internet is for everyone.