Exploring the Future of Digital Identity at Web Summit 2025

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit organization overseeing the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS), is set to engage in crucial discussions at this year's Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. The focus will be on the future of digital identity and the challenges posed by the ongoing fragmentation of the Internet. These discussions are particularly timely as the expansion of generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) approaches and geopolitical tensions surrounding Internet governance increase.

Participants at the Web Summit are encouraged to attend the following key ICANN events:

Event Highlights

The Geopolitics of the Internet: Unity or Division?

Date: November 11, 15:20-15:45, Stage 13, Government Summit
This session will feature Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN's Chairman and CEO, along with prominent figures such as Sally Wentworth from the Internet Society and Steve Clemons from The National Interest. They will explore how global collaboration may safeguard against geopolitical pressures, ultimately influencing whether the Internet remains a shared resource or splinters into competing systems.

Revolutionize Your Online Presence with a New Domain

Date: November 11, 11:30-12:15, Masterclass 5
This event, led by Theresa Swinehart, VP of Global Domains and Strategy at ICANN, alongside other industry leaders from Sky Group and CSC, will delve into how custom domains can bolster brand visibility, enhance security, and improve customer experience. This is especially crucial for marketing executives and technical leaders as they prepare for the next round of gTLD applications set to open in April 2026.

This is indeed a pivotal moment for the digital realm. The Internet's future and its governance are at stake, providing abundant opportunities for innovation and growth. During these sessions, attendees will gain insights into the importance of not taking the Internet for granted and ensuring its security against fragmentation. ICANN aims to educate organizations on how to establish and safeguard their identities within this globally accessible resource.

As part of its preparation for the upcoming New gTLD Program 2026 Round, ICANN will open applications in April 2026, allowing businesses, communities, and organizations to obtain their unique gTLDs. These customized gTLDs, such as .brand or .city, represent powerful tools for enhancing brand visibility, building consumer trust, and driving innovation in a competitive online market. The 2026 Round will also broaden the availability of internationalized domain names, making the Internet more inclusive and accessible for users with non-Latin scripts.

Kurtis Lindqvist remarks, “This upcoming round of new gTLDs marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Internet. We enable businesses to create their unique digital identities, fostering competition and offering more choices for consumers. Simultaneously, we must remain vigilant in protecting the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance that underpins these innovations. We look forward to discussing the opportunities and challenges before us, ensuring a unified, open, and interoperable Internet for the next generation.”

For further details regarding the New gTLD Program 2026 Round, please visit ICANN's website.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To connect with others online, individuals must enter a unique address—a name or number—on their computers or devices. ICANN plays a crucial role in coordinating and supporting these unique identifiers globally. Established in 1998 as a nonprofit organization, ICANN represents a global community of stakeholders.