One of the biggest challenges in Internet policy work is that policy discussions are often not easily accessible to the wider public. In reality, every decision made at the policy level regarding connectivity, safety, affordability, or access significantly impacts how we experience the Internet in our daily lives, from the way we connect to what we can access and how our privacy is protected.
The pandemic helped put it all into perspective: The Internet is a lifeline for learning, working, staying connected with our communities, tapping into opportunities, and supporting one another. It is a shared resource worth defending, and protecting it requires a broader understanding and shared responsibility from everyone, at all levels.
That’s why the Internet Policy Glossary is an essential tool. Designed for general audiences, it makes 75 key Internet policy terms accessible in English, French, and Spanish, framing complex jargon into plain, practical language.
Each entry includes a clear definition, a brief note on why it matters, and bonus-linked resources for further exploration.
Whether you refer to it in its trilingual or standalone monolingual per-language downloadable PDF form, or browse its linked additional online resources, the glossary helps you see how policy terms interconnect with each other, and connect to real-world issues that affect you, your community, and the Internet as a whole.
This isn’t about expecting you to become a policy expert – it’s about making policy accessible, relatable, and actionable to you.
You don’t need a seat at every negotiating table to make a difference. By learning the language of policy from a trusted source like the Internet Society, you gain the knowledge to recognize what’s at stake, ask sharper questions, echo experts’ voices, share informed insights, and support ongoing advocacy efforts that amplify what protects you, the Internet, and your data.
Indeed, when the Internet is faced with existential threats from different sides, policy literacy is where collective strength begins. When people understand, they genuinely care to do what they can, standing together.
The Internet’s openness, global interconnectedness, trustworthiness, and/or inclusivity are values worth protecting, and each informed voice adds balance and strength to the conversation, helping ensure that policymakers are held accountable to make the right decisions for the greater good.
In this sense, this policy glossary, more than just a list of terms and terminologies, is a way to spark interest, start conversations, and support a collective effort to keep the Internet open, affordable, and accessible for all.
There are, in fact, so many ways to contribute. But today, let’s start with policy literacy—reading at our own pace to understand the terms, their context, and implications so that we can take care, share, and get involved in preserving the Internet as we know it for us all. Read and share with your circle the ‘Policy Matters, Key Internet Terms’ glossary.
Image © Daniel Thomas via Unsplash