Examining the foundations of the internet

The internet has been a pivotal force behind the growth of the global digital economy and altered the relationship among states, their citizens, and the private sector. These changes have disrupted the geopolitical balance of power and ushered in a new generation of globally-powerful multinational companies. However, new dynamics of conflict are threatening the internet as we know it, from the hardware connecting users to the policies governing content and data provenance.


The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, under the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), works at the nexus of geopolitics and cybersecurity to craft strategies to help shape the conduct of statecraft and to better inform and secure users of technology.

Telecomms and the Internet

Mon, Nov 4, 2024

How mainstream Georgian media shaped perceptions of the foreign agent law protests

Georgian media promoted opposing views, with TV channels critical of the law outperforming pro-government channels

by Sopo Gelava, Givi Gigitashvili, Esteban Ponce de León

Civil Society CrowdTangle
CSI Russian Tech Isolation

Mon, Jul 29, 2024

Russia’s Digital Tech Isolationism: Domestic Innovation, Digital Fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s Push to Replace Western Digital Technology 

Russia’s technological isolation is both a reality and a desired goal for Moscow. This piece explores the impacts of this phenomenon and offers recommendations for how to deal with that evolving digital ecosystem.

by Justin Sherman

Cybersecurity Internet

Mon, May 13, 2024

International Cyberspace & Digital Policy Strategy: AC Tech Programs Markup

On May 6, the Department of State released the United States International Cyberspace & Digital Policy Strategy. Read along with AC Tech Programs staff, fellows, and experts for commentary and analysis.

by Emma Schroeder, Graham Brookie, Raul Brens Jr., Emerson Brooking, Safa Shahwan Edwards, Trey Herr, Rose Jackson

Artificial Intelligence Cyber Strategy
#AtlanticDebrief - How will the OSA be implemented? | A Debrief from Melanie Dawes

Fri, Dec 1, 2023

#AtlanticDebrief – How will the OSA be implemented? | A Debrief from Melanie Dawes

An #AtlanticDebrief with Ofcom Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes covering the Online Safety Act and regulatory guidance on illegal harms. In partnership with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Cyber Strategy Digital Policy
A wounded woman uses a phone at Nasser Hospital after an airstrike in the city of Khan Yunis, amid the continuing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement.

Fri, Nov 3, 2023

How information travels during Gaza’s communications blackouts

People in Gaza turn to eSIMS and other solutions amid cellular and internet outages

by Layla Mashkoor

Critical Infrastructure Policy Gaza
An image of browser icons for Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Brave browsers

Mon, Oct 30, 2023

Homogeneity and Concentration in the Browser

Web browsers are the gateway to the internet. As browser developers replicate design features and concentrate around shared underlying technologies, they create cybersecurity risks with the potential to impact many internet users at once.

by Justin Sherman and Jessica Edelson

Cybersecurity Telecomms and the Internet

Mon, Feb 27, 2023

A Parallel Terrain: Public-Private Defense of the Ukrainian Information Environment

The information environment is a key domain through which the war in Ukraine is being contested. By better understanding the key role that private tech companies play in this domain, the USs and Ukraine can better prepare for future threats.

by Emma Schroeder* and Sean Dack