The document summarizes statistics about internet usage globally as of 2014, including the number of mobile devices, smartphones, internet hosts, and users. It then outlines some of the technical evolutions of the internet over time, such as the increasing usage of IPv6 and internationalized domain names. It discusses implications of the internet in 2014, including the rise of mobile access, image and data sharing, augmented reality, location tracking, and social networking, as well as challenges around privacy, political issues, cybersecurity and more. Finally, it raises examples of internet policy challenges and the potential role of organizations like the World Bank in supporting internet infrastructure development and policy.

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Internet Prospects
Vint Cerf
July 2014

2. HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!!
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Internet - Global Statistics 2014
Approx. 6.9 B mobiles and ~1.5 Billion smartphones)
(http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/latest-mobile-stats)
1.01Billion Hosts
(ftp.isc.org/www/survey/reports/current/)
2.484 Billion Users
(International Telecommunication Union)

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Internet Technical Evolution
• IPv6 - in parallel with IPv4 – about 3.x% access Google
• Internationalized Domain Names - operational
• New gTLDs (2000 applications) – 300 are delegated
– http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/
• Domain Name System Security (DNSSEC) – in deployment
• Digitally-Signed Address Registration (RPKI)
– Controversial in some quarters, but beta implementations exist
• Internet of Things – an emerging phenomenon
• Mobile applications – in the hundreds of thousands

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An Internet of Things

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7. Internet and its Implications in 2014
• World Wide Web – Massive information sharing and discovery
• Mobile technology - access anywhere, anytime
• Image capture and sharing
• Augmented Reality (e.g. Google Glass)
• Location tracking (Emergency services)
• Remote Control (Internet of Things)
• Standards encourage application development
• Mutual reinforcement of Internet and Mobiles
• Social Networking
• Privacy impact
• Common interest discovery
• Coordinated, real time activities
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8. Internet and its Implications 2014
• Political challenges
• Civil unrest, information and misinformation
• Activism – good and bad societal consequences (extremism)
• Transparency and Accountability
• Malware, Cyber-safety and National Security
• 3D Printing
• New import/export paradigms (export designs not finished products)
• Transport of raw materials vs manufactured parts
• Intellectual Property
• Protection; new modes of sharing (e.g. creative commons)
• Preservation of Digital Content (Bitrot and the Digital Desert)
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9. Example Internet Policy Challenges
• Internet Governance
• Internet Governance Forum, NETmundial, ICANN, ISOC, RIRs
• Internet Standards (IETF, IAB, IEEE, ITU-T, ANSI, ISO, Industry Fora)
• Critical Role of Multi-Stakeholder processes
• Role of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• Communication Standards, Radio Assignments, Development
• The legal meaning/weight of digital signatures
• Bridging the Broadband Digital Divide- infrastructure
• Economics of Access to and Use of the Internet
• Avoiding the Politicization of Internet Governance Policy
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10. The Potential Role of the World Bank
• Unique opportunity to engage in support for Internet
infrastructure development
• Advice to Governments on Internet policy development
• Analysis of Economic Factors in the growth of the Internet
• Explication of the Role of Risk Capital in Internet-based
companies and their products and services
• Facilitation of International and Multi-stakeholder agreements
• Convening Power to Promote Constructive Internet Use
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11. DISCUSSION?
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