Amid the global spread of COVID-19, the exceptional strict confinement to our homes offers important lessons about the urgency of bridging the digital divide. Where I live, in Osona (rural ​​Catalonia, northern Spain), 15 years ago there was no Internet access. Commercial operators said it wasn’t profitable. So, we set up a community network, Guifi.net, The post In Times of Crisis, All Communities Need to Be Connected appeared first on Internet Society.

Supermarkets have finally restocked their toilet paper in Hong Kong after weeks of panic buying when a rumor about toilet paper shortage due to closure of factories in China went viral. The toilet paper shortage did happen, but it was because of panic buying, not because of factory closure in China. How did the rumor The post Disinformation: The Invisible Sword Dividing Society appeared first on Internet Society.

This opinion piece was originally published in The Hill. Over the past month, Americans across the country have adapted to a new reality of life, which includes social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19. For those fortunate enough to be able to do so, that means learning to work, attend educational classes and socialize from afar using the Internet. For a huge number of Americans, social The post Encryption Helps America Work Safely – And That Goes for Congress, Too appeared first on Internet Society.

Today, we’re proud to announce the new MANRS Content Delivery Network (CDN) and Cloud Programme. This new program broadens support for the primary objective of MANRS – to implement crucial fixes needed to eliminate the most common threats to the Internet’s routing system. The founding participants are: Akamai, Amazon Web Services, Azion, Cloudflare, Facebook, Google, The post New Category of CDNs and Cloud Providers Join MANRS to Improve Routing Security appeared first on Internet Society.

NYC Mesh connects people to “critical Internet lifeline” during COVID-19 pandemic As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, cities are slowing to a halt and millions of people are self-isolating to help slow the spread of the virus. The Internet has never been more important. It is critical for up-to-date health information and it’s a necessity The post In New York City, Building a Network While Social Distancing appeared first on Internet Society.

Networked virus: U.S. Senator Mark Warner has raised concerns about cyberattacks targeting Internet connectivity while many people are working from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, The Hill reports. Warner, vice chairman on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote letters to network device vendors asking that they pump up the security of their products. Sharing the WiFi: The The post The Week in Internet News: U.S. Senator Fears Attacks on Connectivity appeared first on Internet Society.

Ready, set, launch: An Internet Society Chapter launched recently in Ethiopia, with a goal of advocating for the development and expansion of open, secure, trustworthy, and affordable Internet access to everyone in the country. The idea of starting an Internet Society Chapter came from a workshop, “where we became conscious of the fact that more The post Member News: Ethiopia Launches Internet Society Chapter appeared first on Internet Society.

As COVID-19 spreads around the globe, so has misinformation about the virus. Log into any social media account and it’s easy to get confused by friends and family sharing contradictory messages on anything from infection rates, to local preventative measures, and what to do if we feel a dreaded cough coming on. Truth matters – The post Truth Matters: Why Journalists Need Encryption Now More Than Ever appeared first on Internet Society.

We’re pleased to announce that the Internet Society and the Asia Pacific Network Operators Group Ltd (APNOG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in supporting the MANRS initiative in the Asia-Pacific region. APNOG is the non-profit entity that runs the annual APRICOT conference, also called the Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies. The post Working with APRICOT to Improve Routing Security appeared first on Internet Society.

Beware of false promises and threats to encryption security online. It’s easy to understand why United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray would ask companies to provide a means for law enforcement to access private data and communications. “We’re all for strong encryption and… we are not advocating for ‘backdoors,'” he said The post A Backdoor Is a Backdoor Is a Backdoor appeared first on Internet Society.

Later today, the 107th meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) will begin its working group sessions in an unconventional way. Previously, over 1,000 engineers were expected to be in Vancouver, Canada, to engage in the IETF’s work creating the open standards that make the Internet possible. But with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the The post IETF 107 Starts Today as a Virtual Meeting appeared first on Internet Society.

Connecting online: Many libraries and authors are offering online reading sessions during recommended social distancing due to the spreading coronavirus, says Timeout.com. The article offers a list of online reading activities. WiFi on the bus: The Charleston County School District is deploying WiFi enabled buses across its school district to bring Internet service to students The post The Week in Internet News: Online Story Time in the Age of Social Distance appeared first on Internet Society.

In these uncertain times we know the Internet is so much more than a tool. It’s a way for people to stay connected, informed, and educated. It shortens distances, spurs innovation, and fosters social and economic development. It empowers us and frees us. It is a lifeline. Yet, nearly 50% of the world still remains The post Introducing the Internet Society’s 2019 Impact Report appeared first on Internet Society.

With the global efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus underway, we’re seeing an unprecedented disruption of day-to-day operations across virtually all work sectors. Coronavirus coverage is dominating headlines as more country borders, schools, major events and public venues are shut down in hopes of flattening the infection curve. Likewise, companies around the world The post Working from Home: Keeping It Secure and Private appeared first on Internet Society.

No Internet, no school: School closings in the U.S. in response to the coronavirus pandemic are exposing the continuing digital divide in the country, U.S. News and World Report says. The Federal Communications Commission should step in to help poor students get access, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel told a Senate committee recently. Testing the Internet’s capacity: The post The Week in Internet News: Coronavirus Shutdowns Expose Digital Divide appeared first on Internet Society.

There is a law in the United States that consists of twenty-six words: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” Otherwise known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), it has been characterized as The post Intermediary Liability: The Hidden Gem appeared first on Internet Society.

Unintended consequences: New legislation in the U.S. Senate to crack down on child exploitation online may lead to limits on encryption, many critics say. The EARN IT Act would give Attorney General William Barr the authority to create new rules to protect children, potentially including encryption backdoors, as Barr as called for, Wired.com reports. The The post The Week in Internet News: New Bill May Weaken Encryption appeared first on Internet Society.

Yesterday’s announcement by the Government of Canada to drive down cell phone prices will only end up costing Canada in the long run. In a press conference held yesterday, Minister Navdeep Bains of Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) laid out a plan that will not only allow the government to evoke further regulation The post Minister Bains, Let’s Rethink Canada’s Spectrum Auction appeared first on Internet Society.

Internet Society community members, Due to concerns associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus, including the possibility of quarantines and other travel restrictions, the Internet Society Board of Trustees has decided to hold its meeting on 13-14 March, 2020, as a virtual meeting instead of a physical meeting in Cancun, Mexico. This board meeting was originally planned The post Internet Society Board of Trustees Meeting on March 13-14, 2020, changed to a virtual meeting appeared first on Internet Society.

When it comes to Ethiopia’s future online, there are many reasons to feel optimistic. The country has one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, is strategically placed, and has a population of over 105 million, 60% of whom are under the age of 30. All of these are assets to make it a regional The post The First Ethiopia Internet Development Conference: Meeting Challenge and Opportunity Head On appeared first on Internet Society.