The Internet is a global, transnational network of networks - but the question of who regulates, governs and exercises power over it is more topical than ever. In the topic dossier Internet governance we explore how the global Internet is organized and influenced, from technical standards and domain name management to legislation, geopolitics and public values in the digital space.

Internet governance takes place at multiple, interconnected levels:

• Technical management: allocation of IP addresses, management of domain names and protocols, including by organizations such as ICANN and IETF.

• Policy-making: national and international, covering topics such as net neutrality, moderation and removal of online content, cybersecurity and monitoring of platforms.

• Geopolitics and sovereignty: tensions between an open, free and interoperable Internet and state control, data localization and the rise of segregated "splinter Internet" models.

Relevant laws, regulations and initiatives

• EU legislation such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) for platform supervision and market regulation.

• The Dutch commitment within the EU Cyberspace Strategy and the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

• International agreements on technical standards, DNS management and cross-border data access (Cloud Act, e-evidence).

Current trends and discussions

• The growing call for European digital sovereignty and technological independence.

• The influence of Big Tech on the formation of global Internet rules, including lobbying and self-regulation.

• Public interests such as transparency, access to online infrastructure, human rights and privacy protection.

• Debates about maintaining a free and open Internet versus state-driven alternatives centered on security and economic power.

This dossier brings together technical, legal and political dimensions of Internet governance, places them in a current context and critically examines their impact on our digital society.