Category: Growing the Internet

Nov 21

LEO Satellites for Internet—Why the Next Two Years Are Critical

A globe with satellites floating around it

Can Low Earth Orbit satellites that provide Internet access help close the digital divide, or will they create more challenges? Our paper explores these questions.

The post LEO Satellites for Internet—Why the Next Two Years Are Critical appeared first on Internet Society.

Feb 02

What Is a LEO Satellite System—and Can It Help Build a Bigger Internet?

Photo of a rocket launch showing the trail arcing off into space

There’s a new space race happening right now and the stakes are just as high as they were half a century ago. Companies such as SpaceX, Amazon, OneWeb, and Telesat are racing to launch large systems of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide Internet access. These LEO “constellations” could help bridge the digital divide, […]

The post What Is a LEO Satellite System—and Can It Help Build a Bigger Internet? appeared first on Internet Society.

Apr 21

On this 50th Earth Day, We Are Using The Internet To Change The World

A view of the Earth from space from NASA image library

50 years ago when the first Earth Day happened, the networks that would later form the Internet were only beginning.

20 years later, when Earth Day 1990 turned the celebration into a global event, the World-Wide Web existed only as a single website in Switzerland.

Today, the Internet is our lifeline. In a world locked down by coronavirus, the Internet is how we connect. It is how we communicate, collaborate, and create together. It is how we work and how we play. And on this Earth Day 2020, we will use the Internet to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Each and every day, we are using the Internet to respond to climate change and other environmental issues:

  • Scientists are collaborating and sharing their knowledge. They are finding new solutions and creating new programs.
  • Projects are crowdsourcing vast amounts of data from regular people around the world (ex. Earth Challenge 2020)
  • We are sharing ideas and learning from each other.
  • Policy makers are learning what works in other regions.
  • We are avoiding unnecessary travel and reducing our carbon footprint.
  • Activists are joining in global movements.
  • We are seeing that what affects someone in one part of the world may affect us all.

This open, globally-connected network of networks empowers us to work for change. The Internet enables us to confront global challenges, whether those are viruses or a changing climate.

These many benefits do, of course, have costs. The Internet’s networks need electricity to operate. The data centers used by many services offered on the Internet can use huge amounts of power and water. All our many devices are leaving a long trail of discarded “e-waste”. These are challenges we all must confront.

We also face the reality that on this day, 49% of the world will not be able to join in the online celebrations. They are not able to work at home during this coronavirus crisis. They do not have the Internet access that most of us take for granted. The many opportunities of the Internet are not shared evenly – we must grow the Internet and connect the unconnected.

If we are to solve the many global challenges before us, we must tap into the creativity and ingenuity of people around the world. Everywhere. We must connect, communicate, and collaborate. We must share our ideas and innovations. We must learn from each other and help each other.

Now, more than ever, we must ensure that the Internet of opportunity is available to everyone.

We are stronger together. And through working together, we will find new ways to change the world.

Happy Earth Day!

Image credit: NASA Image Library

The post On this 50th Earth Day, We Are Using The Internet To Change The World appeared first on Internet Society.