This is a guide to organizations and associations that have played, and which currently play, key roles in the development of the Internet.
These may include those which have been involved in the development of recommendations or standards for the Internet, deploying the necessary infrastructure and services, and addressing other significant issues.
Appropriate organizations for this category are those that have been involved in standards development and broad-based advocacy and educational issues of importance to the Internet, regional Intenet registries, research and education organizations, and those involved in accessibility and affordability initiatives. Historical Internet organizations, whose sites remain online, may also be listed here.
Recommended Resources
American Registry for Internet Numbers
ARIN is the Regional Internet Registry for the United States, Canada, and several of the Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, and one of five worldwide. ARIN, a non-profit corporation, is charged with the distribution of Internet number resources, such as IPv4 and IPv6 address spaces and AS numbers. Its registry services are detailed here, along with fee and billing information, policies, schedules, membership information and elections, and various references and tools.
https://www.arin.net/
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Known as the Benton Foundation until 2019, the BIBS is a non-profit organization set up by US Senator William Benton and his wife, Helen Hemingway Benton. Originally focused on using media for the public good, the Institution champions digital access and demands public responsibility by mass media. It has also pushed for a national broadband policy at the highest levels of the U.S. government and publishes a free daily digest that curates news related to universal broadband.
https://www.benton.org/
Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis
Based at the San Diego Computer Center at the University of California, CAIDA was founded in 1997 for the purpose of conducting network research and building research infrastructure to support large-scale data collection, curation, and data distribution to the scientific research community. Its program plan, research, data, tools, and services are highlighted, along with its published papers and presenting talks, a schedule of workshops, projects, and funding sources.
http://www.caida.org
Known as the Online Publishers Association until 2014, DCN us a non-profit trade organization involved in research, sponsoring events, and providing policy guidance for the digital content industry. Its membership comes from media companies in the United States and abroad, although its activities are largely focused in the United States. Its research programs, policy information, and a calendar of events are posted to the site, along with membership information and contacts.
https://digitalcontentnext.org/
Created as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers in 1998, ICANN is a non-profit organization charged with coordinating the procedures and maintenance of the databases related to namespaces and numerical spaces of the Internet and ensuring its stable operation. Featured are a beginner’s guide, a newcomer’s program, a fellowship program, and ICANN’s history project. News and media relating to the organization are presented, along with policy and other resources.
https://www.icann.org/
Created by the US Department of Defense as the Internet Configuration Control Board in 1979, the IAB is a committee of the Internet Engineering Task Force and an advisory body of the Internet Society. Its duties are published to the site, along with announcements and news items, schedules of workshops, programs, and other activities, meeting minutes and other documents, current liaisons, IAB mailing lists, and its role for the IAB in the IETF Appeals process.
https://www.iab.org/
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
Established in 1988, IANA was originally administered by Jon Postel of the Information Sciences Institute of the University of Southern California at Marina Del Rey, and performed the roles currently assigned to ICANN. Currently, IANA is a function of ICANN, responsible for managing DNS root zones, the coordination of the global IP and AS number spaces, and as a central repository for protocol name and number registries used in Internet protocols.
https://www.iana.org/
The IA is an Internet industry trade group headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 2012, the organization lobbies Congress, the court system, foreign governments, federal and state agencies, and state and local governments on regulatory issues affecting the Internet industry, and publishes economic research material. Its members are acknowledged, and its position statements are published to the site, along with industry data, reports, and other resources.
https://internetassociation.org/
Internet Engineering Task Force
The IETF was created in 1986, originally as a function of the United States government, although it has operated as an Internet standards development function under the oversight of the Internet Society since 1993. A profile of the organization is set forth, along with an overview of its roles and functions, policy information, the Internet standards process, organizational structure, groups, schedules of upcoming meetings and other important dates, announcements, and contacts.
https://www.ietf.org/
ISOC is a non-profit organization founded in 1992 to take a leadership role in developing Internet-related standards, education, access, and policy, serving to promote the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of everyone. Its history and mission are outlined, and several histories of the Internet are featured, along with facts and figures, and a glossary of the Internet. ISOC’s projects are noted, and its organizational structure is outlined.
https://www.internetsociety.org/
Established in 1997, the IIA is the independent representative body for Internet industries in Ireland. Organized as a non-profit business association, its membership includes Irish Internet Service Providers and those who use the Internet as a primary source for communication, marketing, and commerce. The benefits of membership are put forth, along with a membership directory, sorted into business categories, and which may also be found through search.
http://www.iia.ie
North American Network Operators’ Group
NANOG is an educational and operational forum for the coordination and dissemination of information related to the backbone technologies and operational practices of the Internet. The organization schedules meetings, talks, surveys, and maintains a mailing list for Internet Service Providers. Meeting schedules, sponsors, and membership information is put forth, along with a history of the Group, scholarships, tutorials, and fellowships.
https://www.nanog.org/
Ripe Network Coordination Centre
Officially known as Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre, and headquartered in Amsterdam, RIPE NCC is the Regional Internet Registry for Europe, West Asia, and the former USSR, overseeing the allocation and registration of Internet number resources in a specific region, and supporting the administrative and technical coordination of Internet infrastructure. Its publications, management tools, analysis, and participatory features are highlighted.
https://www.ripe.net/
Legally known as the Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, the private US-based company was formed in 1989 and specializes in information security services, cybersecurity training, and security certification. Its acronym stands for SysAdmin, Audit, Network, and Security. Its history, information security research, and other services are put forth, along with schedules, locations, and details of training programs, demographics, webcasts, and its affiliate program.
https://www.sans.org/
Created as Search Engine Professional Organization in 2002, the global non-profit organization represents the search engine marketing industry, as well as the marketing professionals who are engaged in it, building relationships, fostering awareness, offering educational programs, industry promotion, and research. Membership policies, pricing, and benefits are put forth, and registrations may be completed online. A calendar of events, career opportunities, and contacts are posted.
https://www.sempo.org/
Founded by Tim Berners-Lee, W3C is also known as the World Wide Web Consortium, the chief standards organization for the World Wide Web. Made up of member organizations, W3C is also involved in education and outreach, developing software, and serving as an open forum for discussion about the Web. The benefits of membership, member testimonials, a member agreement, an application, and fees are set forth, along with standards information and available training.
https://www.w3.org/
WaSP was a group of professional web developers who came together to distribute and encourage the use of the web standards recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium, along with other groups and standards bodies. Founded in 1998, WaSP cooperated with browser companies, authors of various software and tools, and others, encouraging them to use these standards. The group disbanded in 2013, stating that its work was done. The site remains as an archive of its work.
https://www.webstandards.org/
Founded by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, the Web Foundation is an international non-profit organization that advocates for an open web, with an aim to change restrictive government and business policies. Its team, board, and funding sources are outlined, along with annual reports, job opportunities, and an overview of its advocacy work, policies, and research projects. News and other information are included, along with blogs, and contacts.
https://webfoundation.org/
