ICANN publishes fact sheet explaining internet governance ahead of WSIS+20 review

ICANN has published a WSIS+20 Internet Governance Fact Sheet, offering a concise overview of how the internet is governed and why distributed, collaborative structures remain central to its stability and openness. The document, released in March 2025, is aimed at policymakers, civil society and other stakeholders engaging in global discussions on the future of digital governance.

The fact sheet explains that the internet is a decentralised system, not controlled by any single entity, and that its development relies on cooperation among governments, the private sector, civil society and the technical community. It describes internet governance as the collective application of rules, norms and decision-making procedures that shape the internet’s evolution and use.

ICANN outlines its own role as technical and administrative, focused on coordinating the global system of unique identifiers through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. The fact sheet emphasises that ICANN does not regulate online content, digital rights or cybersecurity, but ensures that more than a billion websites remain reachable for all users.

The document also identifies ongoing challenges to the multistakeholder model. These include efforts by some intergovernmental bodies to centralise control over the internet, which ICANN warns could risk fragmentation, weaken global interoperability and limit the openness that has enabled economic and social benefits.

The fact sheet highlights the contributions of key technical organisations, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force, the Regional Internet Registries and the World Wide Web Consortium, underscoring their role in maintaining open standards and protocols that keep the internet functional and globally connected. It also explains the role of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as the primary multistakeholder platform for dialogue and policy exchange, complementing the work of technical bodies.

ICANN concludes that supporting inclusive, decentralised governance is essential to keeping the internet secure, stable and open to all. The fact sheet forms part of ICANN’s input to WSIS+20, where debates on the future of global digital governance are expected to intensify.