Internet Way of Networking
The Internet has radically transformed our lives for the better.
In just a few decades, it’s rapidly become a critical resource offering those with access virtually infinite opportunities to innovate and work together for the collective good.
This didn’t happen by accident. The Internet owes its strength, resilience, and success to its open architecture. It was literally built to be built upon.
But what makes it great also makes it vulnerable. Governments and businesses are increasingly making decisions that could impact the Internet – and they might not even know it.
If we don’t consider how our actions could impact the Internet, we risk breaking the underlying foundation that makes it work for everyone.
That is why the Internet Society has created the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit.
What the Internet Needs to Exist
The Critical properties of the Internet Way of Networking form the underlying foundation the Internet needs to work for everyone.
An Accessible Infrastructure with a Common Protocol
Open Architecture of Interoperable and Reusable Building Blocks
Decentralized Management and a Single Distributed Routing System
Common Global Identifiers
A Technology Neutral, General-Purpose Network
What the Internet Needs to Thrive
The Internet Society and groups worldwide share a common set of aspirations for the Internet: open, globally connected, secure and trustworthy.
How do we achieve these goals?
The Enablers of an Open, Globally Connected, Secure and Trustworthy Internet are what help us get closer to the Internet we all want – now and in the future.
Supporting an Open Internet
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Easy and unrestricted access
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Unrestricted use and deployment of Internet technologies
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Collaborative development, management, and governance
Supporting a Globally Connected Internet
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Unrestricted reachability
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Available capacity
Supporting a Secure Internet
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Data confidentiality of information, devices, and applications
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Integrity of information, applications, and services
Supporting a Trustworthy Internet
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Reliability, resilience, and availability
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Accountability
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Privacy
Want to help protect and defend the Internet?
Get to Know the Internet Way of Networking
Get to Know the Internet Way of Networking
Take the Internet Way of Networking elearning course to learn about what underpins the Internet’s success.
Stay tuned for our next course offering
Use the Toolkit
Use the Toolkit
Have you spotted a policy, technology development or trend that could harm the Internet’s foundation?
Produce an Internet Impact Brief
Grow the Toolkit
Grow the Toolkit
Contribute to the growing body of knowledge that helps people protect the Internet.
Explore our collection of Internet Impact Briefs
Spread the Word
Spread the Word
Share the Toolkit with your local policymakers to make sure their work supports an Internet for everyone.
Share the toolkitNews and Resources
Protecting the Internet As We Know It – Three Things You Can Do Today To Stop the Splinternet
Internet Way of Networking
18 May 2022
Protecting the Internet As We Know It – Three Things You Can Do Today To Stop the Splinternet
Learn how to protect what the Internet needs to exist and thrive—then do something today.
The EU, US, and 32 other countries just announced a ‘Declaration for the Future of the Internet’
In the News
28 April 2022
The EU, US, and 32 other countries just announced a ‘Declaration for the Future of the Internet’
The Verge
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Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit: Introduction
The Internet Way of Networking is a positive framework that lets us test whether new ideas support the best...
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The Internet Way of Networking: Defining the critical properties of the Internet
To sustain the Internet’s value for our future, we need to recognize and protect what makes it unique.
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Enablers of an Open, Globally Connected, Secure and Trustworthy Internet
The Enablers of an Open, Globally Connected, Secure and Trustworthy Internet are what help us get closer to the...
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Internet Impact Brief: 2021 Indian Intermediary Guidelines and the Internet Experience in India
This report uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit to assess how the 2021 Indian Intermediary Guidelines may affect the...
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Internet Impact Brief: Canada’s Proposed Online Harms Legislation and the Internet
This report uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit (IIAT) to assess how the Canada’s proposed online harms bill may...
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Internet Impact Brief: End-to-end Encryption under the UK’s Draft Online Safety Bill
This brief uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit (IIAT) to assess how the limitations placed on the use of...
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Internet Impact Brief: Mandated Browser Root Certificates in the European Union’s eIDAS Regulation on the Internet
This report uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit (IIAT) to assess how the EU’s proposal may affect the global...
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Internet Impact Brief: Revised Directive on Security of Network and Information (NIS2) – Presidency Compromise Proposal September 2021
This report uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit (IIAT) to assess how the Presidency compromise proposal from 21 September...
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Internet Impact Brief: Technical Architecture of the GAIA-X Project
This report uses the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit (IIAT) to assess how the GAIA-X concepts may affect the global...
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How to Conduct an Internet Impact Brief
Find simple explanations of the goals, critical properties and enablers of the Internet, and a step-by-step guide to conducting...
Leading image: Middle East 2019 Chapter Advocacy Meeting, © Urban Pixel Lebanon