Reimagining a new internet for everyone
Back when the internet was created, the world looked very different. No one could have predicted how much the protocols behind the worldwide packet switching mechanism, which initially supported simple text-based messages, would have to handle in the coming years. But with all the new applications that emerged, from streaming video to managing massive data transfers and online transactions, the technology started to show some signs of strain. All of these problems stem from its current architecture not being able to keep up with the ever-growing demands. Besides the need to optimise data delivery for applications like the Internet of Things and augmented reality, improvements need to be made at a security level to protect users’ privacy and prevent misuse. But who is driving the evolution of the internet architecture?
Evolving and changing the internet through technology and people
“The development and growth of the internet have been credited to a number of key people, including Vint Cerf, Bob Khan and Tim Berners-Lee. However, with its increasing complexity, many activities related to the internet have become hidden or implicit. Boundaries became blurred,” remarks Mirko Presser, coordinator of the EU-funded NGI-POINTER project. “The internet has become dominated by a few large corporations, which do not prioritise user privacy and trust. This was not the intention of the internet creators, as they wanted it to benefit the community rather than big businesses.” Presser then explains that internet governance bodies provide structure to the system, but it is the people who work every day to evolve and change the internet. And they do it through both official and unofficial channels that need to be at the heart of the internet architecture evolution.
Revolutionising the internet experience through creative collaboration
NGI-POINTER funded small and innovative initiatives that would not have had access to the necessary resources or expertise to develop their working solutions. “We found the best talents, next-generation internet (NGI) architects, and supported them in their journey to build a new internet – one that recaptures the original vision of Tim Berners-Lee and his team. Some of the newly developed bottom-up projects have turned into commercial endeavours, while others are more socially oriented and can be built upon using open data,” notes Presser. “NGI-POINTER project was all about developing scalable protocols and tools that assist in the migration to new or upgraded internet technologies while respecting European values.” Importantly, this internet evolution should prioritise a people-centric approach so that everyone can benefit. All of the projects successfully concluded by October 2022. More information about these truly exciting products can be found here.
Envisioning an open, secure and decentralised internet
An open, transparent and secure internet helps ensure everyone can reap its benefits. The internet protocol is an excellent foundation for this as it ensures the basic openness of the web. But the problems the web faces can be solved just as well in other parts of the internet stack. “There are some exciting developments happening in the internet stack, such as the use of multipath TCP, which increases speed and data security. Additionally, there are some interesting proposals around socket-level communication – improved connectors with application programming interfaces that will optimise communication while also making the web more decentralised and secure,” concludes Presser.
Keywords
NGI-POINTER, internet, open, architecture, privacy, internet stack, secure, decentralised
