Internet Society News

The second iteration of the European Union’s Network and Information Security Directive, NIS 2, was written with good intentions. But many worry the cybersecurity rules could splinter the Internet and undermine security. Among those concerned are Internet Society chapters and members in Europe. While the directive’s goal is to improve security online, a newly-published Internet The post European Union’s Network and Information Security Directive Threatens Internet Fragmentation and Creates Security Risks appeared first on Internet Society.

Encrypted messaging is indispensable for advocacy groups that use the technology to stand up for their communities. As new government laws and regulations in countries around the world threaten to weaken encryption, advocacy groups must work together to speak out against these measures and protect the digital tools needed to hold power accountable. Once again, The post Advocacy Groups Must Stand Up for Encryption—While They Still Can appeared first on Internet Society.

A new Internet Society study shows local Internet exchange points (IXPs) play a pivotal role in ensuring quality of access to local content and in improving the quality of experience for users in the Asia-Pacific region. The study, which measures the impact of local Internet exchanges across the Asia-Pacific region on local content hosting and The post Internet Society Study: IXPs Can Improve Quality of Service for Local Users appeared first on Internet Society.

Profits first: Whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former data scientist at Facebook, testifying before a U.S. Senate committee, accused the company of putting profits before the public good. Facebook has encouraged rage posting on its platform in order to drive user engagement, she said. In addition, she accused Facebook of hiding internal research showing harm to The post The Week in Internet News: Facebook Whistleblower Takes Aim appeared first on Internet Society.

The MANRS community is looking for volunteers to serve on its new Steering Committee and is accepting nominations in anticipation of a November election. The committee will lead the community toward collective responsibility for the resilience and security of the Internet’s global routing system. It will have seven positions with different term lengths. The Call for Nominations The post MANRS Steering Committee: Call for Nominations appeared first on Internet Society.

Demand for the Internet has been on the rise since the advent of COVID-19, and it’s a trend likely to stay with us for long afterwards. Even before the pandemic, we heard about the fourth industrial revolution—how it was beginning to transform governance, management, and production systems across the globe. Mitigating climate change and fostering The post Pandemic and Digital Transformation—The Middle East and North Africa Are Ready to Level Up appeared first on Internet Society.

A big deal: A US$1.2 trillion infrastructure bill being debated in the U.S. Congress would include US$65 billion to build out broadband networks and help pay for service, reports NBC News on Yahoo. The funding for broadband access would be “a game changer,” for Black communities, said Don Graves, the Biden administration’s deputy secretary of The post The Week in Internet News: U.S. Broadband Funding Called a ‘Game Changer’ appeared first on Internet Society.

China outlaws cryptocurrency; Internet censorship rises; Pro-Russian bloggers clearing the roadblocks; municipal broadband services in Maine The post The Week in Internet News: China Outlaws Cryptocurrency appeared first on Internet Society.

The Internet Society and the UN have partnered to connect Asia's hardest-to-connect – and community networks play a vital role. The post At the 2021 Asia-Pacific Community Networks Summit: Innovating Policymaking to Connect the Unconnected appeared first on Internet Society.

Light speed Internet over the Congo River; China vs. Big Tech; Google and Apple app interference and new privacy protections; Facebook misinformation ban The post The Week in Internet News: Internet Service Through Beams of Light appeared first on Internet Society.

Enabling routing security features on network equipment – and providing support and training on them – means network operators can now improve routing security more easily The post New MANRS Equipment Vendor Program Launched To Improve Internet Routing Security appeared first on Internet Society.

Global Encryption Day on 21 October 2021 will put strong encryption firmly in the spotlight around the world to help us champion a stronger Internet for all The post Make the Switch for Global Encryption Day  appeared first on Internet Society.

U.K. government backs Apple's plan to scan photos; no subsidies for SpaceX satellite broadband; Texas outlaws content moderation; Facebook smart glasses The post The Week in Internet News: U.K. Government Pushes Against Encrypted Photos appeared first on Internet Society.

SpaceX satellite broadband service; Apple delays photo scanning plan; EU rejects zero-rating schemes; WhatsApp privacy problems; Siri, Alexa, and Google assistant spying in your home? The post Internet News: Satellite Broadband Might Bypass Internet Blocking appeared first on Internet Society.

IXPs are key to exchanging traffic locally and making the Internet faster and cheaper. Read how RICTA has developed one of Africa's first IXPs The post In Rwanda, Paving the Way to Keep Local Content Local appeared first on Internet Society.

Dumb browsing: The Cyberspace Administration of China has proposed limits on algorithms used by large tech companies, the South China Morning Post reports. The government agency is seeking public comment on new rules that would “regulate algorithm-empowered recommendation activities on the Internet.” The rules would limit content aggregation, personalized recommendations, and search rankings at a The post The Week in Internet News: China Seeks to Rein in Algorithms appeared first on Internet Society.

Africa could very well become the next incubator for Internet innovation – and IXPs have played a crucial part in getting the continent to this stage. The post A Vibrant Community Works to Make the Internet Better in Africa appeared first on Internet Society.

Privacy, please: About 90 tech policy-focused groups have asked Apple to scrap its plans to scan device users’ iCloud photos for evidence of child exploitation, Ars Technica reports. Citing privacy and security concerns, the groups included several from the US, plus groups from the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kenya, The post The Week in Internet News: Groups Ask Apple to Stop Photo-Scanning Plans appeared first on Internet Society.

The Internet Society and CIPESA have commited to work together for an open, secure, and trustworthy Internet for Africa. The post A Partnership to Advance Digital Rights and Internet Development in Africa appeared first on Internet Society.

In its second year as a virtual event, the Indigenous Connectivity Summit will take place on 12-15 October 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that those who lack connectivity face the effects of starker inequalities. Millions of people across Canada and the United States still can’t take advantage of the benefits of a fast, affordable, The post Register for the Fifth Annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit appeared first on Internet Society.