isocAnnual2010FullCoverFINAL_ACG_crx.pdf 9/21/10 9:59:49 AM 71203_RA_ACG.indd 1 9/21/10 10:34:36 AM The Internet Society Internet Society Annual Review 2009 Table of Contents The Internet Society (ISOC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1992 to Foreword | Raúl Echeberría 1 provide leadership in Internet-related standards, education, and policy. With Foreword | Lynn St.Amour 2 offices in Washington, D.C., USA, and Geneva, Switzerland, we are dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the Internet Society Vision and Operating Model 3 benefit of people throughout the world. Members, Partners, and Community 4 Join the Internet Society today by visiting http://www.InternetSociety.org/join Strategic Initiatives 16 Supporting Programmes 18 Looking Ahead 26 Internet Society participated at the IETF 75 meeting held 25-31 July 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden Photo/Internet Society 71203_RA_ACG.indd 2 9/21/10 10:34:38 AM Foreword | Raúl Echeberría | Chair, Board of Trustees IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO ASSIGN A SINGLE PHRASE FOR DESCRIBING THE INTERNET on the lives and livelihoods of users worldwide. In 2009, the Internet Society Society in 2009, it would be globally visible and regionally relevant. engaged in meaningful discussions with many of the organizations that Achievement of those higher levels of visibility and relevance, both influence public policy in this regard, such as the Organisation for Economic internationally and locally, speaks directly to the ongoing commitment and Co-operation and Development, the World Bank, and the International determination on the part of an organization that for nearly 20 years has Telecommunication Union (ITU). Those efforts were complemented by dedicated itself to the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet increased visibility at conferences and meetings of the ITU and the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world. It also speaks to the extent Governance Forum. to which the Internet and its associated applications and technologies are Through our continued support of the Internet Engineering Task Force, the shaping—and reshaping—the world. Internet Society has recognized more than ever the need to ensure ongoing With nearly 2 billion users and growing, the Internet may be more deeply interoperability and technological innovation. Similarly, our decision in 2009 to rooted in our lives than ever before, but its success has led to increasingly provide financial support for the World Wide Web Consortium acknowledged complex technology, policy, and governance challenges. The Internet the need to think more broadly about the Internet’s technological drivers Society’s mission is to ensure that those challenges get tackled in ways and the need to embrace standards organizations whose missions dovetail that safeguard the Internet model of openness and transparency and that with ours. And throughout the year, we made greater efforts to integrate our preserve the Internet as a platform for innovation, social progress, and Organization Members, Individual Members, and Chapters into the work of economic development. the Internet Society, which has the benefit of expanding our perspective while increasing our influence. In 2009, the Internet community took a much harder look at several issues that are at the core of the Internet’s continued success. Many organizations Just as the history of the Internet is being written by the billions of Internet around the world began—in earnest and with considerable influence from the users and developers who are online today, the future of the Internet will be Internet Society community—to address the issue of a diminishing pool of written by the billions more who have yet to join the vast network of Internet IPv4 addresses by embracing the adoption and deployment of IPv6, the next users, developers, and innovators. Their future—and ours—will depend on generation of Internet protocol. With the use of social media exploding, with the work we do as a community to ensure the Internet truly is for everyone. Internet-based financial transactions multiplying, and with electronic storage of personal information expanding, the Internet community found itself wrestling with a wide range of issues regarding online identity and trust— The Internet’s success over the past 35 years has increased the need for users, governments, business areas that the Internet Society has focused on and involved itself in for years. enterprises, and other stakeholders to take a more careful and thoughtful look at the policy, governance, and The Internet’s success over the past 35 years has increased the need for regulatory issues that naturally follow technological innovation. users, governments, business enterprises, and other stakeholders to first take a more careful and thoughtful look at the policy, governance, and regulatory issues that naturally follow technological innovation. Then they need to get better prepared to anticipate the impact those innovations have and will have Foreword • 1 71203_RA_ACG.indd 1 9/21/10 10:34:38 AM Foreword | Lynn St.Amour | President and CEO HERE AT THE INTERNET SOCIETY WE OFTEN USE THE TERM INTERNET COMMUNITY promoted intelligent approaches to increased security on and confidence in to describe the countless individuals, enterprises, and nonprofit and the Internet, took the next step in our regionalization efforts, and—through 200 nongovernmental organizations that contribute to the smooth operation and policy, advocacy, and outreach to traditional and new communities alike— 9 S tra overall functionality of the Internet. As I look back on the past year, it is clear advocated an open, transparent, and unencumbered Internet. s te ive g that our achievements are truly the results of a steadfast and dedicated t ic Additions to the Internet Society staff enabled us to provide greater support ia community of Organization Members, Individual Members, Chapters, and it C O In o b for international, regional, and local activities wherein technology developers, re j partners coming together around shared values and principles to support the ic V e g c policy makers, business enterprises, and other stakeholders came together a t open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. e l i t n u v to shape the future of the Internet. A new series of panel discussions, the a io e r s s e t s s By any measure, the Internet Society ended the year stronger and better writing of briefing papers, and other activities dedicated to improving the S i prepared for future challenges than at any time in our history. Among our Internet through, for example, advocating for the adoption and deployment M strategic objectives, two of the primary goals in 2009 were to increase the of iPv6, informing the debate on managing bandwidth (also known as net understanding of the nature and importance of the Internet model and to neutrality), and advancing an understanding of developments in the Trust bring additional visibility to and engender support for the organizations, and Identity arenas were launched in 2009. Those efforts helped us bring VISION stakeholders, services, and values that constitute the Internet ecosystem into sharper focus certain issues that are critical to the future of the Internet. (see page 15). clearly our efforts paid off. time and again, our contributions The return on that investment has been significant. Today, more business were noted by policy makers and referenced so often in the private and enterprises, organizations, users, and other stakeholders are embracing public sectors that there can be no doubt we had a significant impact on ISOC’s mission, values, and vision than ever before. many policy discussions and decisions. Finally, on behalf of the Internet Society staff and Board of Trustees, I want Our achievements in 2009 took many forms. We worked more closely to express our appreciation and gratitude to our Organization Members, with Chapters, Members, and other local and regional partners to build Individual Members, other funders, Chapters, and the Public Interest capacity in developing economies. We also engaged in global activities that Registry. Their contributions made it possible for us to support not only strengthened our reputation as a trusted and authoritative voice on critical the aforementioned activities but also the technical standards work of the Internet policy and technology issues. We expanded our activities dedicated Internet Engineering Task Force and the World Wide Web Consortium in to grooming new Internet leaders, increased engagement with all Members, those entities’ efforts to build the next-generation Internet leaders programme and to organize regional meetings that helped build technical skills and Among a number of strategic objectives, our primary goal in 2009 was to promote better understanding capacity locally throughout the world. of the nature and importance of the Internet model of development and to support the organizations, Without a doubt, 2009 was an extraordinary year. We thank you for your stakeholders, and services that constitute the Internet ecosystem. continued support and partnership and look forward to working together even more closely in the years to come. Photo/Internet Society 2 • internet society annual review 2009 71203_RA_ACG.indd 2 9/21/10 10:34:38 AM 1. The quality of life for people in all parts of the world is enhanced by their ability to enjoy the benefits of an open and global Internet. Internet Society Vision and Operating Model 2. Well-informed individuals and public and private policy makers are the essential foundation of an open and global Internet society. 3. The genius of the Internet is that VISION its decentralized architecture The Internet is for everyone. 200 maximizes individual users’ power 9 S to choose (or create) and use the tra MISSION s te hardware, software, and services ive g Promote the open development, evolution, t ic that best meet their needs, and ia and use of the Internet for the benefit of all it C O if the Internet is to continue to In o b re j people throughout the world.