Ryan Polk – Internet Society https://www.internetsociety.org We are a global charitable organization empowering people to keep the Internet a force for good: open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy. Mon, 11 Jul 2022 14:35:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cropped-ISOC-Symbol-Ground-navy-690px-1-32x32.jpg Ryan Polk – Internet Society https://www.internetsociety.org 32 32 EU Internet Society Chapters Call on European Commission to Follow the Path of Strong Encryption. Here’s Why You Should Too. https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/12/eu-internet-society-chapters-call-on-european-commission-to-follow-the-path-of-strong-encryption-heres-why-you-should-too/ Wed, 16 Dec 2020 16:11:45 +0000 http://www.internetsociety.org/?p=129065 European Union flags flying outside of a building

Internet Society Chapters in Europe are warning the European Commission that its recent plea for Member States to help find ways to access encrypted communications could make millions of citizens and countries more vulnerable to harm and terrorism online. Representing digital security experts who share the Internet Society’s mission for a bigger and stronger Internet, […]

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European Union, Use Facts to Make Cybersecurity Decisions – Not Myths https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/11/breaking-encryption-myths/ Thu, 19 Nov 2020 08:00:01 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=126545

Nearly 450 million EU citizens are counting on the Council of the European Union to make decisions that protect their safety. The Council has a duty make these decisions based on reliable information. In the next week, the Council of the European Union is expected to consider a resolution that argues that law enforcement “must […]

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Latest U.S. ‘Anti-Encryption’ Bill Threatens Security of Millions https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/07/latest-u-s-anti-encryption-bill-threatens-security-of-millions/ Tue, 07 Jul 2020 11:00:04 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=117871

The Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act recently introduced to U.S. Congress may be the worse in a recent string of attacks on encryption, our strongest digital security tool online. While the recently-amended EARN IT Act would leave strong encryption on unstable ground if passed into law, the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act (LAEDA) […]

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The Internet “Just Works”: The EARN IT Act Threatens That and More https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/07/the-internet-just-works-the-earn-it-act-threatens-that-and-more/ Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:30:13 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=117602

When the EARN IT Act was introduced in March 2020, technologists, civil society organizations, academics, and even a former FBI General Counsel blasted the bill as a thinly veiled attempt to prevent platforms from keeping users safe with strong encryption. The bill had implications for intermediary liability, of course, but it was clearly a play […]

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There’s No Duty of Care without Strong Encryption https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/05/theres-no-duty-of-care-without-strong-encryption/ Wed, 27 May 2020 15:40:47 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=115252

On 15 May, the Telegraph reported that The Five Eyes intelligence alliance planned to meet to explore legal options to block plans to implement end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messenger. According to the UK-based newspaper, the discussions between the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand would focus on how […]

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Encryption Helps America Work Safely – And That Goes for Congress, Too https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/03/encryption-helps-america-work-safely-and-that-goes-for-congress-too/ Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:10:37 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=112181

This opinion piece was originally published in The Hill. Over the past month, Americans across the country have adapted to a new reality of life, which includes social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19. For those fortunate enough to be able to do so, that means learning to work, attend educational classes and socialize from afar using the Internet. For a huge number of Americans, social […]

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A Backdoor Is a Backdoor Is a Backdoor https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/03/a-backdoor-is-a-backdoor-is-a-backdoor/ Tue, 24 Mar 2020 12:35:39 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=111853

Beware of false promises and threats to encryption security online. It’s easy to understand why United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray would ask companies to provide a means for law enforcement to access private data and communications. “We’re all for strong encryption and… we are not advocating for ‘backdoors,'” he said […]

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Strong Encryption Is Central to Good Security – India’s Proposed Intermediary Rules Puts It at Risk https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2020/01/strong-encryption-is-central-to-good-security-indias-proposed-intermediary-rules-puts-it-at-risk/ Thu, 09 Jan 2020 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=109416

Security and encryption experts from around the world are calling on the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTy) to reconsider proposed amendments to intermediary liability rules that could weaken security and limit the use of strong encryption on the Internet. Coordinated by the Internet Society, nearly thirty computer security and cryptography experts from around the world signed “Open Letter: […]

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What Scary Movies Can Teach Us About Internet Trust https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/10/what-scary-movies-can-teach-us-about-internet-trust/ Thu, 31 Oct 2019 16:01:18 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=106890

Mad geniuses. Evil dolls. Slow zombies. This Halloween, we’ll see all of these horror film clichés come to life. Sure they’re fun, but are there lessons we can learn from them? What if they could teach us what not to do? We looked at seven scary tropes and what they might teach us about Internet […]

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Your Day with Encryption https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/10/your-day-with-encryption/ Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:59:46 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=106320

How often do you use encryption? It seems like the stuff of spy films, but you may be surprised to find out how often it touches your daily life. Encryption is the process of scrambling or enciphering data, and only someone with the key can read or access it. You can use it for things […]

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Improving Internet Trust: Ironing out the Details https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/08/improving-internet-trust-ironing-out-the-details/ Tue, 27 Aug 2019 20:23:40 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=104182

We all can make some pretty rash decisions under stress. I once burned a hole through my undershirt instead of ironing my button-down shirt because I was so nervous before a presentation. The Internet has its challenges and sometimes can seem like a scary place. In the 2019 survey, the CIGI-Ipsos Global Survey on Internet […]

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G7 Leaders: Protect Strong Encryption for a Secure World https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/08/g7-leaders-protect-strong-encryption-for-a-secure-world/ Fri, 23 Aug 2019 19:50:07 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=104189

Encryption protects us every day. It helps secure web browsing, online banking, and critical public services like electricity, elections, hospitals, transportation, and more. If the G7 countries are truly committed to building a safer and equal world, then it is crucial to recognize the important role that end-to-end encryption plays in securing the Internet, their […]

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The Internet Is Your Oyster: MANRS at International Telecoms Week https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/06/the-internet-is-your-oyster-manrs-at-international-telecoms-week/ Mon, 24 Jun 2019 14:07:40 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=102426

What do oysters, clams, and mussels have in common with network operators? Hint: it’s not just that they are both in Atlanta this week, either in exhibits in the Georgia Aquarium or for the 2019 International Telecoms Week. It’s that both bivalves and network operators play an incredibly important role for their ecosystems: they filter […]

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A New Survey Shows Few Actively Encrypting More Because of Internet Distrust https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/06/a-new-survey-shows-few-actively-encrypting-more-because-of-internet-distrust/ Tue, 11 Jun 2019 06:33:37 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=101819

A new survey shows that only a handful of people who said they distrust the Internet are actively choosing encryption in response. The survey, called the CIGI-Ipsos Global Survey on Internet Security and Trust, was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Canadian think tank the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). The Internet Society […]

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Fact or Fiction? With IoT It’s Not Always Clear https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/03/fact-or-fiction-with-iot-its-not-always-clear/ Fri, 15 Mar 2019 08:00:31 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=95775

Recently, owners of expensive smart shoes found themselves at loose ends. Unable to pair the shoes to their smart phone app, they couldn’t tighten their self-lacing sneakers. It sounds like science fiction, but this really happened. From dental sensors that can monitor what a person eats to kitty litters that can track a cat’s every […]

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In India, Days Left to Comment on Rules That Could Impact Your Privacy https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2019/01/india-days-left-to-comment-rules-could-impact-your-privacy/ Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:56 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=93972

The public has until 31 January to comment on a draft set of rules in India that could result in big changes to online security and privacy. The Indian government published the draft Information Technology [Intermediary Guidelines (Amendment) Rules] 2018, also known as the “Intermediary Rules” for public comment. When it comes to the Internet, intermediaries […]

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Customer Data Isn’t Always an Asset: Lessons from the Marriott Data Breach https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/11/customer-data-isnt-always-an-asset-lessons-from-the-marriott-data-breach/ Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:38:12 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=91784

As data analytics have improved, the massive amounts of data that companies acquire from their customers has only gained in economic value. In the corporate world of today, this data can be a real asset for companies. However, as today’s news, that the records of over 500 million guests of Marriott International’s Starwood division hotels […]

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IoT Tales of Horror (Inspired by Real-Life Events) https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/10/iot-tales-of-horror-inspired-by-real-life-events/ Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:14:22 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=90289

Happy Halloween! In some parts of the world, people are celebrating this holiday of horror by dressing up as monsters or other frights and watching scary movies. But sometimes these tales can be just a little boring. Pod people? Headless horsemen? Replicant children? Whatever. I present the real horror stories of Halloween – and every […]

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Routing, and Water, Are All about Trust: Introducing “Routing Security for Policymakers” https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/10/routing-and-water-are-all-about-trust/ Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:40:34 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=89530

Introducing the new Internet Society white paper, “Routing Security for Policymakers“ The global routing system is a lot like a water system in a city. It’s vitally important to the Internet and we tend to overlook it until something goes wrong. Routing determines how packets (data sent over a network or networks) containing information, like […]

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If We Care About the Internet, We Have to Be Willing to Do Our Part https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/06/if-we-care-about-the-internet-we-have-to-be-willing-to-do-our-part/ Mon, 25 Jun 2018 13:51:18 +0000 https://www.internetsociety.org/?p=81758

Whether it’s playing dungeons and dragons over voice chat with my college friends hundreds of miles away, reading the latest movie reviews for summer blockbusters I’ll watch once they come out on video, or simply paying electrical bills, the Internet has become an important part of my life. Yet, while I have come to rely on the Internet, I don’t always do […]

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