The Internet Hall of Fame is an honorary lifetime achievement award administered by the Internet Society (ISOC) in recognition of individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and advancement of the Internet.[1]
The Internet Hall of Fame was established in 2012, on the 20th anniversary of ISOC.[2] Its stated purpose is to "publicly recognize a distinguished and select group of visionaries, leaders and luminaries who have made significant contributions to the development and advancement of the global Internet".[1]
Nominations may be made by anyone through an applications process. The Internet Hall of Fame Advisory Board is responsible for the final selection of inductees.[1] The advisory board is made up of professionals in the Internet industry.[3]
In 2012, there were 33 inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, announced on April 23, 2012, at the Internet Society's Global INET conference in Geneva, Switzerland.[4][5][6]
There were 32 inductees in 2013. They were announced on June 26, 2013, and the induction ceremony was held on August 3, 2013, in Berlin, Germany.[7][8] The ceremony was originally to be held in Istanbul, but the venue was changed due to the ongoing government protests in Turkey.[9]
The class of 2014 inducted 24 people. They were announced at an event in Hong Kong.[10]
There were no inductees in 2015 or 2016, while the ISOC worked to create an Advisory Board to provide leadership on the program's direction. This Advisory Board would be responsible for the selection of the inductees going forward.[11]
On September 18, 2017, the Internet Society gathered to honor the fourth class of Internet Hall of Fame Inductees at UCLA, where nearly 50 years before, the first electronic message was sent over the Internet's predecessor, the ARPANET.[12]
On September 27, 2019, 11 new members were inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in a ceremony in San Jose, Costa Rica.[13] The inductees included Larry Irving, the first African-American to be inducted.[14]
In February 2021, the Internet Hall of Fame announced that nominations were open for 2021 inductees until April 23, 2021,[15] which was later extended to May 7, 2021.
