They were pioneers. They had a big idea. They wanted to create a way for all the different types of networks to communicate with each other. These early innovators worked together, building on each other’s ideas and pushing the limits of what was possible. They opened up a world of new opportunities for the future of humanity.
They were dreamers, even though their vision might have seemed crazy to some. But they believed that billions of people would rely on their creation every day: the Internet. And that’s where we are today. The Internet has become a powerful, life-changing force. It’s easy to forget how much it has made many societies better. To put it simply, many people in the world can’t function without it anymore. But with each passing year, the Internet faces more and more threats.
Protect the open, global Internet while there’s still time.
The Internet is in danger because some powerful groups want to control and use it for their benefit. As you’re reading this, there are threats to the Internet. Some people are trying to damage its essential features by making wrong and shortsighted rules. Others want to divide the Internet into smaller parts with country borders, which weakens its global nature. Some even plan to block access to information and limit free expression through Internet shutdowns.
We need to protect the Internet from these new dangers. We should make sure that regular people control it, not those who want to use it for their own purposes or those who might accidentally damage it.
Our 2023 Action Plan explains how we’ll deal with these challenges. Our goal is to ensure the Internet remains a useful tool for everyone forever. We’ll work together with our global community of partners, members, and supporters to take clear, measurable steps to strengthen and safeguard the Internet. We can’t do this alone. The Internet relies on all of us to secure its future because it’s now closely connected to humanity.
