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Resource Library

Everyone should have access to an open and trusted Internet.
Read our reports, papers, and other documents for insight and vision on how we can get there.

Action Plan 2024

Our roadmap for tackling the threats and challenges for today’s Internet as we look to grow and defend it for future generations.

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2023 Year in Review

The Year in Review shows the steps we took in 2023 to ensure the Internet is for everyone. Learn about the positive difference we made for the Internet.

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Internet Impact Briefs

Shorter reports that analyze how different policies or new technologies may affect what the Internet needs to exist and thrive.

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Global Internet Report (GIR)

From trust to consolidation, access to sustainability, a deep look at the forces shaping our digital future.

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Policy Briefs

Our perspective on critical Internet issues, including community networks, encryption, open Internet standards, Internet Exchange Points, and more.

Fact Sheet: How Encryption Can Protect Journalists and the Free Press

Originally published: 26 March 2020
Updated: 7 September 2022

Encryption is a tool designed to help Internet users keep their online data and communications private and secure. It ...

2019 Indigenous Connectivity Summit Policy Recommendations

Based on conversation and outcomes from the Summit, 2019 Indigenous Connectivity Summit Policy Advisors developed 8 recommendations to help policymakers in the United States and Canada make more inclusive decisions ...

Fact Sheet: Machine-in-the-Middle Attacks

Originally published: 24 March 2020
Updated: 8 September 2022

When using the Internet, we expect that our communications are confidential and have not been changed or tampered with ...

Fact Sheet: Ghost Proposals

At least one government has recently proposed that in order to facilitate access to end-to-end encrypted messages, the technology should be modified so that a third-party listener can be silently ...

Fact Sheet: Client-Side Scanning

Originally published: 24 March 2020
Updated: 2 September 2022

Encryption is a technology designed to help Internet users keep their information and communications private and secure. The process ...

The Internet Way of Networking and Canada’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review

Authors: Katie Jordan, Senior Policy Advisor; Mark Buell, Regional Vice President, North America

The Internet Way of Networking

The Internet is not like other technologies. While it is essentially ...

Telecommunications Reclaimed: A Hands-on Guide to Networking Communities

This book is a guide on how to build a community network, a shared local telecommunications infrastructure, managed as a commons, to access the Internet and other digital communications services ...

Pacific Internet Exchange Point Feasibility Study

We collaborated with UN ESCAP collaborated to assess if a regional ‘Pacific Internet Exchange Point’ is technically feasible for the purpose of strengthening Internet traffic and network management among Pacific ...

Policy Brief: Internet Shutdowns

An Internet shutdown can be defined as an “intentional disruption of Internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location often ...

Internet Society Position on Internet Shutdowns

The Internet Society believes Internet shutdowns harm societies, economies, and the global Internet infrastructure ...

What is Educational Broadband Service (EBS)?

Educational Broadband Service (EBS) is a band of spectrum that the FCC set aside for the public good ...

Solutions for Traffic Backhaul in Community Networks

Community networks are networks often collectively owned and managed by a community for non-profit and community purposes. They are networks built and operated by a group to meet communication needs, ...

Archives

History of the Internet in Africa

This document on the Africa Internet history’s highlights is not a historical document per country but rather a set of global information on the Internet mainly from 1990 to 2001 ...

Brief History of the Internet

Read the online version The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like nothing before. The invention of the telegraph, telephone, radio, and computer set the stage for this ...

New Security Mechanisms for Network Time Synchronization Protocols

As evolving security concerns have prevailed, the network time synchronization protocol community has been actively engaged in the development of improved security mechanisms for both the IEEE 1588 Precision Time ...

Internet Society Contribution to CITEL PCC.1. Preparatory Meeting for the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017 (WTDC-17)

The Internet Society (ISOC) is committed to making the Internet available to everyone, everywhere. For twenty-five years, the Internet Society has worked collaboratively with our global community and diverse stakeholders ...

The Internet Society Survey on Policy Issues in Asia-Pacific 2017

An initiative of the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau, the Internet Society Survey on Policy Issues in Asia-Pacific is an annual study of the attitudes of Internet stakeholders towards topical Internet ...

Issue Paper: Asia-Pacific Bureau – Policies and Regulations for the Digital Economy and Society

In the digital economy and society, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are no longer just tools to enable particular aspects of development, but the platform that mediates development. This platform ...

Issue Paper: Asia-Pacific Bureau – Online Privacy

Building on the online privacy framework and concepts presented in the Internet Society Policy Brief on Privacy,[1] this issues paper focuses on online privacy concerns and good practices in the ...

Issue Paper: Asia-Pacific Bureau – Gender

Internet penetration rates are higher for men than for women in all regions, including Asia and the Pacific ...

Mapping Online Child Safety in Asia-Pacific

In today’s age, the Internet has become essential for developing and strengthening the capacities of children. But at the same time, use of the Internet can come with some risks ...

A Brave New World: How the Internet Affects Societies

On 11 May 2017 the Internet Society and Chatham House convened a roundtable discussion, held under the Chatham House Rule, at which a culturally and geographically diverse set of participants ...

Best Practice: Always On SSL (AOSSL)

Trust and consumer confidence is the foundation upon which the Internet has been built. A core element of that confidence rests on the protection provided by SSL certificates.  SSL/TLS (also referred ...

2017 Online Trust Audit and Honor Roll

The 2017 Online Trust Audit is the 9th year OTA will be conducting an independent analysis and benchmark report of the adoption of security standards and responsible privacy practices.  This methodology ...

Organization Reports

On annual basis, we publish annual reports (an Action Plan and Impact Report), as well as financial reports, annual financial statements, and Form 990s.

See the Reports