I* Run the Internet

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I* Run the Internet NO ONE PERSON, COMPANY, ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT RUNS THE INTERNET. The Internet itself is a globally distributed computer network comprised of many voluntarily interconnected autonomous networks. Similarly, its governance is conducted by a decentralized and international multi-stakeholder network of interconnected autonomous groups drawing WHO RUNS THE INTERNET? from civil society, the private sector, governments, the academic and research communities, and national and international organizations. They work cooperatively from their respective roles to create shared policies and standards that maintain the Internet’s global interoperability for the public good. WHO IS INVOLVED: HERE IS HOW IT WORKS: Internet Operations span all WHO IS INVOLVED: aspects of hardware, IAB A C P S R ISO 3166 MA S software, and infrastructure INTERNET ARCHITECTURE BOARD INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Oversees the technical and engineering required to make the Internet FOR STANDARDIZATION, development of the IEFT and IRTF. OPERATIONS & SERVICES work. Services include MAINTENANCE AGENCY www.iab.org T education, access, web Defines names and postal codes of countries, NE browsing, online commerce, dependent territories, special areas of C O P V ER 4 ICANN NT social networking, etc. geographic significance. INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED E I www.iso.org/iso/country_codes.htm NAMES AND NUMBERS TH Coordinates the Internet's systems of ISOC C E P V unique identifiers: IP addresses, Internet Policies are the shared INTERNET SOCIETY Protocol-Parameter registries, top-level POLICIES & STANDARDS principles, norms, rules, Assure the open development, evolution domain space (DNS root zone). decision-making procedures, and use of the Internet for the benefit of www.icann.org 3 and programmes that shape the all people throughout the world. Currently evolution and use of the ISOC has over 90 chapters in around 80 C P S IETF Internet. Internet Standards countries. INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE www.internetsociety.org Develops and promotes a wide range of enable interoperability of systems on the Internet by Internet standards dealing in particular with RIRs O P V standards of the Internet protocol suite. defining protocols, messages 5 REGIONAL INTERNET REGISTRIES Their technical documents influence the way formats, schemas, Manage the allocation and registration of P people design, use, and manage the Internet. ol and languages. icie Internet number resources, such as IP www.ietf.org d s & S OPEN DEBATE eba tandards guide addresses, within geographic regions of the te an g d decision makin 2 world. IGF A C P www.afrinic.net Africa INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM The formal and informal www.apnic.net Asia Pacific A multi-stakeholder open forum for debate on process of debating www.arin.net Canada & United States issues related to internet governance. policy and standard www.lacnic.net Latin America & Caribbean www.intgovforum.org propositions in a www.ripe.net Europe, the Middle East & multi-stakeholder model parts of Central Asia IRTF R using any variety of W3C S INTERNET RESEARCH TASK FORCE methods: in-person, WORLD WIDE WEB CONSORTIUM Promotes research of the evolution of the Internet Drafts, public Internet by creating focused, long-term Create standards for the world wide web research groups working on topics related to MULTI-STAKEHOLDERS forums, publishing, and that enable an Open Web Platform, for Internet protocols, applications, architecture Civil Society & Internet many more. example, by focusing on issues of accessibil- Users, the Private Sector, 1 y. ity, internationalization, and mobile web and technology. ort ilit www.irtf.org Governments, National & upp rab solutions. es s pe Servic ero www.w3.org International Organizations, Operations & al int GOVERNMENTS AND ’s glob Research, Academic and the Internet INTER-GOVERNMENTAL Technical Communities all INTERNET NETWORK ORGANIZATIONS C P have a say in how the OPERATORS' GROUPS A O V Develop laws, regulations and policies Internet is run. Discuss and influence matters related to applicable to the Internet within their Internet operations and regulation within jurisdictions; participants in multilateral and informal fora made up of Internet Service multi-stakeholder regional and international Providers (ISPs), Internet Exchange Points fora on Internet Governance. (IXPs) and others. LEGEND: A Advice C Community Engagement E Education O Operations P Policy R Research S Standards V Services This graphic is a living document, designed to provide a high level view of how the internet is run. It is not intended to be a definitive guide. Please provide feedback at www.xplanations.com/whorunstheinternet 2013 | Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0.
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