Governance
Internet governance debate: Why registries must not become enforcers
A new governance debate highlights concerns that giving registries enforcement powers may threaten neutrality and global internet stability.
Headline
A new governance debate highlights concerns that giving registries enforcement powers may threaten neutrality and global internet stability.
Context
“ A registry’s role is administrative, not punitive. Confusing the two is one of the most dangerous mistakes in Internet governance. “ ——Lu Heng, CEO at Cloud Innovation, CEO at LARUS Ltd, Founder of LARUS Foundation.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
On 17 September 2025, internet governance analyst Lu Heng published an argument explaining why registries — the organisations that record who holds certain critical internet resources — should not take on enforcement roles beyond their administrative mandate. His commentary, titled “Why registries must never become enforcers”, emphasises the importance of preserving registries’ neutral function as record-keepers rather than judges or punishers in disputes over internet number resources such as IP addresses and Autonomous System numbers. According to Lu Heng, a registry’s proper role is to maintain accurate and reliable records of assignments and transfers. Any attempt by these bodies to adjudicate disputes, punish network holders, or revoke access based on behaviour would exceed their administrative charter and could undermine the trust on which global infrastructure depends. He argues that enforcement and punitive measures should remain the domain of sovereign legal systems — such as courts, regulators, and governments — with clear authority and due process, rather than being delegated to private or community-led registry organisations.
Key Points
- Registries are urged to stay administrative, not punitive, in managing internet resources.
- Experts warn that expanding registry power could harm trust and threaten free use of critical infrastructure.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
