policy Archives - Internet Society UK

Joint Letter on the UK Government’s use of Investigatory Powers Act to attack End-to-End Encryption

ocl / February 18, 2025

On Thursday 13 February 2025, the UK Chapter of the Internet Society joined a group of over 100 civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts – as part of an effort led by the Global Encryption Coalition (GEC) – submitted a letter to British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper calling on the UK Home Office to rescind its demand that Apple create a backdoor into its end-to-end encrypted services.

The letter stated that civil society organizations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, including members of the Global Encryption Coalition, called on the UK Home Office to rescind its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its end-to-end encrypted services.… Read more ...

News, Policy

Follow-up on Response to Consultation on: Powers in relation to UK-related domain name registries

ocl / November 29, 2024

In August 2023, the UK Chapter submitted a response to a UK Government consultation on Powers in relation to UK-related domain name registries.

The Internet Society UK Chapter had responded to the Consultation on the Digital Economy Act 2010, criticizing the consultation deadline during the summer holidays for hindering inclusive stakeholder engagement. They urged further consultations to ensure broad stakeholder involvement in managing UK Internet resources. They highlighted several concerns:

The Act was outdated, given the significant changes in the Internet since 2010, making the drafting of powers potentially inappropriate.

News

Joint submission of response to OFCOM consultation on Child Safety

ocl / July 18, 2024

The UK Chapter of the Internet Society produced a Joint Submission with the Internet Society responding to the OFCOM Consultation: Protecting children from harms online

The response, filed on 17 July 2024, reiterates the points made in past submissions to UK consultations conducted by OFCOM but also in relation to the various legislation that went through Parliament in the first part of the year. In particular, the response reiterate that End-to-end encryption (“E2EE”) is needed to safeguard privacy of data including the safety of children.… Read more ...

News, Policy

Joint cross-sectoral statement: Concerns Regarding the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill

ocl / March 22, 2024

Release Date: 22 March 2024

The UK Chapter of the Internet Society is a co-author and co-signatory of today’s Joint cross-sectoral Statement that saw Civil Society organisations work with academics and TechUK, to express concerns about a Bill that is reaching Report Stage in Parliament on Monday 25 March 2024.

The Statement was picked up on Friday 22 March 2024 by the BBC News article “‘Mass surveillance’ fears over law change plans”.

The Statement can be found here:

IPA-Bill-joint-cross-sectoral-statement Download

In parallel, the UK Chapter has been very active in corresponding with the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR).… Read more ...

News, Policy

Joint submission of Evidence to House of Commons Public Bill Committee

ocl / March 8, 2024

The Internet Society, Internet Society UK Chapter and Access Now have made a joint submission to the call for evidence made by the House of Commons Public Bill Committee which is going to consider the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill.

This joint submission was sent on 7 March 2024.

The Bill, “A Bill to amend the Investigatory Powers Act 2016; to make provision about information supplied by, or relating to, the Judicial Commissioners; and for connected purposes.” was unusually started in the House of Lords before undergoing Stages in the House of Commons.… Read more ...

News, Policy

Joint submission of Evidence to Joint Committee on Human Rights

ocl / January 24, 2024

The UK Chapter has made a joint submission with the Internet Society in response to the call for evidence that was published by the Joint Committee on Human Rights regarding the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) is a Parliamentary Joint Committee whose main function is to examine all bills and legislative instruments for compatibility with human rights, and to report to both Houses of Parliament on its findings.

The Joint Submission can be found here:

Internet-Society_call-for-evidence_IPA-1 Download

The deadline for submitting evidence was Monday 22 January 2024.… Read more ...

ISOC News

Internet Trust: Why We Need It and How to Achieve It
Trust in the Internet is crucial, but it has fluctuated. Let’s dive into Internet trust, what makes a trustworthy Internet, and why people should care. The post Internet Trust: Why We Need It and How to Achieve It appeared first on Internet Society.
The Open Fibre Data Standard
The Open Fibre Data Standard (OFDS) is an open data, open standards initiative supported by the Internet Society. The post The Open Fibre Data Standard appeared first on Internet Society.
Local Businesses Benefit from Burkina Faso’s Internet Development
The Burkina Faso Internet Exchange (BFIX) is helping to keep Internet traffic local and build the country's Internet resilience. The post Local Businesses Benefit from Burkina Faso’s Internet Development appeared first on Internet Society.
Article 19 of the Marco Civil – Guarantee or Threat to the Future of the Brazilian Internet?
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on 6 April 2025 in JOTA Jornalismo. It has been translated from Portuguese below. The regulation of digital platforms has become one of Brazil’s most pressing issues, encompassing topics from fake news to political debates. While regulation has been at the center of public debate for years, it The post Article 19 of the Marco Civil – Guarantee or Threat to the Future of the Brazilian Internet? appeared first on Internet Society.
Community Snapshot—March
Here's a look at everything the Internet Society chapters accomplished in the month of March 2025. The post Community Snapshot—March appeared first on Internet Society.
All About Peering: What It Is, How It’s Done, and Why We Need It
Peering is a fundamental part of how the Internet works. It allows networks to exchange traffic directly, reducing reliance on intermediaries. This improves performance, lowers costs, and increases network resilience. The post All About Peering: What It Is, How It’s Done, and Why We Need It appeared first on Internet Society.
A New Internet Era for the Philippines
In the Philippines, connectivity legislation called Konektadong Pinoy is nearing passage and poised to bring Internet connectivity to rural communities. The post A New Internet Era for the Philippines appeared first on Internet Society.
Community Snapshot—February
Here's a look at everything the Internet Society chapters accomplished in the month of February 2025. The post Community Snapshot—February appeared first on Internet Society.
How the South Sudan Chapter Mobilized to Keep the Internet On
On 22 January 2025, the National Communications Authority of the Republic of South Sudan instructed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the country to begin blocking TikTok and Facebook for a minimum of 30 days, with the potential to extend this up to 90 days. The justification was to prevent the further distribution of graphic content The post How the South Sudan Chapter Mobilized to Keep the Internet On appeared first on Internet Society.
Advancing the WSIS Vision Together
As we approach WSIS+20, it's time to reaffirm our commitment to a people-centric, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. The post Advancing the WSIS Vision Together appeared first on Internet Society.