{"id":57955,"date":"2017-09-12T22:52:35","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T22:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.internetsociety.org\/?page_id=57955\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T11:19:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T11:19:21","slug":"how-it-works","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.internetsociety.org\/internet\/how-it-works\/","title":{"rendered":"How It Works"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Internet works because open standards allow every network to connect to every other network.<\/p>\n

This is what makes it possible for anyone to create content, offer services, and sell products without requiring permission from a central authority.<\/p>\n

It levels the playing field for everyone and it\u2019s the reason why we have a rich diversity of applications and services that many of us enjoy today.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s in charge of the Internet?<\/h4>\n

No one is, but everyone is.<\/p>\n

Unlike the telephone network, which for years in most countries, was run by a single company, the global Internet consists of tens of thousands of interconnected networks run by service providers, individual companies, universities, governments, and others.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the infrastructure of the Internet like?<\/h4>\n

The Internet is that it\u2019s a network of networks that needs to operate around the world as if it were one.<\/p>\n

Like policy, the technical coordination of the Internet has common characteristics:<\/p>\n