Control of the Internet
The United States may have mostly invented the technology that founded the Internet, but today only about one in five Internet users is an American. That would seem to make international control of the Internet an obvious goal, and until recently that was the plan. But the U.S. just reversed itself and declared that it alone would retain control over the root servers that control Internet traffic. Wired News calls it “logic not very different from that which inspired the Monroe Doctrine.”
Michael D. Gallagher, assistant secretary for communications and information at the Commerce Department, shied away from terming the declaration a reversal, calling it instead “the foundation of U.S. policy going forward.”“The signals and words and intentions and policies need to be clear so all of us benefiting in the world from the internet and in the U.S. economy can have confidence there will be continued stewardship,” Gallagher told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Deep Dive
Uncategorized
Our best illustrations of 2022
Our artists’ thought-provoking, playful creations bring our stories to life, often saying more with an image than words ever could.
How CRISPR is making farmed animals bigger, stronger, and healthier
These gene-edited fish, pigs, and other animals could soon be on the menu.
The Download: the Saudi sci-fi megacity, and sleeping babies’ brains
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2023
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.