CSPP seminar: The Role of Internet Standards in Public Policy: Emerging from the Shadows?

Abstract

The foundation of the global Internet consists of standardized communications protocols that allow billions of users and devices to connect and communicate with each other. Although the organizations developing these standards are highly technical, they play an often unseen role in influencing and being influenced by public policy debates related to security, privacy, sovereignty, geopolitics, and more. This talk will explore the rich history and current trends at the intersection of technical standards and public policy, focusing on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the premier global Internet standards organization. The talk will unpack what is behind recent policymaker interest in technical standards at the IETF and elsewhere and what it may mean for the future.

To register, email joshua.anderson@tufts.edu.