Decrypting the DNS

A public interest project offering insights on ICANN and Internet governance.

The Internet doesn’t have a heart — nor brain or soul — it has a root zone consisting of thirteen servers, an encrypted .TXT file, and various technical standards and protocols. It’s not found on any globe, but it is populated with a community of stakeholders who are busily engaged in as much politicking for power and profit as any other human exploit. 

​​A complex framework of contracts and policies provides both the veneer of fair play and the vehicle by which two organizations — the non-profit Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and VeriSign, a publicly-traded corporation — exercise near-absolute power over a multi-billion-dollar global supra-state economy.

Yet, despite having a public interest mandate, very little of what goes on here raises much in the way of actual public interest.  History and experience teach that sunlight is the best of disinfectants and this public interest project seeks to highlight the corrosive effect of insufficient transparency and accountability in the root zone of the Internet with:  

​​Engaging commentary demystifying ICANN and Internet governance.

​​Explanatory articles breaking down arcana and acronyms into the plainest English possible.  

​​Exclusive access to in-depth reporting and analysis on DNS policy and Internet governance. ​​

Join the mailing list for high-level commentary and educational resources or subscribe for a nominal fee and accompany guest experts and informed stakeholders as they go deeper and offer in-depth analysis and experienced perspectives that help you decrypt the DNS.

You can always find all content at https://dns.substack.com. I hope you will join the dialogue and help ensure that the Internet continues enabling the free flow of information and ideas.