October 29, 2025
Free, open… and kinda gated?
The Internet Runs on Free and Open Source Software–and So Does the DNS
Open-source powers the web’s phonebook—commenters say gatekeepers still hold the keys
TLDR: ICANN says the Internet’s naming system relies on open-source code and offers guidance to regulators. The comments explode over centralization, with calls for blockchain domains versus warnings that changing DNS could break the web—making this a key fight over who really holds the Internet’s keys.
ICANN’s security group dropped a new report saying the Internet’s “phonebook” (the Domain Name System, or DNS) runs on free and open-source software (FOSS). Translation: lots of the code keeping websites reachable is built by volunteers and shared publicly. The report aims to help lawmakers in the U.S., U.K., and EU write smart cyber rules that don’t break the backbone of the web, and invites everyone to chat at ICANN’s Dublin meetup. Sounds wholesome—until the comments lit up.
The top hot take: one user says calling it “free” is spin when the system is still controlled by a handful of approved operators. They point to top-level domains like .com and .org, plus certificate authorities (the folks who confirm websites are safe), as proof the power sits with chosen gatekeepers. Their rallying cry? Bring on blockchain domains like Unstoppable Domains, so no single organization can pull the plug.
Cue the clapbacks: defenders argue open-source means the code is open—not that governance is a free-for-all. Breaking the DNS could balkanize the web and invite scams. Meme-watch: “ICANN’t even,” “Free as in speech, not free-for-all,” and “Unstoppable… until your browser stops it.” Dublin just got a lot more spicy.
Key Points
- •SSAC published SAC132, asserting that FOSS is integral to the DNS.
- •The report targets policymakers with nontechnical guidance to avoid weakening Internet infrastructure.
- •SAC132 analyzes cybersecurity regulations in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union.
- •It provides practical recommendations to support and secure the FOSS ecosystem within DNS.
- •SSAC invites stakeholders to engage with the report’s findings at ICANN84 in Dublin or remotely.