For most of us, the internet feels almost like a force of nature. Like oxygen in the air or water from the tap, we expect it to be there whenever we need it, and we expect it to be open. Recently, however, headlines have challenged that assumption. We are seeing Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime intensify their efforts to cut the Russian people off from the global internet, following a strategy that has also been implemented with brutal technical precision in Iran.
These developments are part of one of the darkest experiments of the modern age: the attempt to sever the connection between an entire population and the rest of the world. This is the story of the internet “kill switch”, and it is a warning that the digital sphere can be turned into a prison if the infrastructure ends up under authoritarian control.
The technical foundations of isolation
The mechanics of this isolation are a dystopian feat of engineering. What we are seeing in Russia today resembles, in many ways, Iran’s “National Information Network”. The goal is to build a state-controlled version of the internet, where the authorities control all gateways in and out.
In Russia, the idea of a “sovereign internet”, often referred to as RuNet, has been discussed for years. The objective is to create an infrastructure that can operate independently of the global DNS system and international internet exchange points. When protests grow, or when the regime wants to control the narrative during wartime, it can isolate the country by cutting international connectivity.
Domestic banking systems, government platforms and other essential digital infrastructure may continue to operate inside the closed network. For citizens, this creates a surreal reality. You may still be able to pay your bills or use government apps, but you cannot access independent media or share footage with the outside world. It is a stark reminder that the openness of the internet depends on physical infrastructure being able to route traffic freely across borders. Today, the digital "Iron Curtain" is no longer just a metaphor. It is a technical reality.
The battle for access to knowledge
This development fundamentally changes how we should think about cybersecurity and human rights. It is no longer only about protecting ourselves from hackers trying to steal credit card details. It is about protecting access to information as a basic lifeline in any modern society.
In both Russia and Iran, the struggle over the internet has become a technological arms race. Citizens use advanced VPNs, encrypted messaging apps and, increasingly, satellite-based internet such as Starlink to break through the wall. Every time the regime closes one loophole, digital freedom fighters find another. This cat-and-mouse game shows that the stakes could hardly be higher. At its core, this is about the right to have a voice in the global public conversation.
Why does this matter for the Danish internet?
As CEO of Punktum dk, I see the stories from Russia and Iran as a constant reminder of why robust and independent infrastructure is essential to a free society. Denmark is, of course, in a completely different political situation. But these shutdowns still expose a vulnerability at the heart of the global DNS system, the Domain Name System (DNS).
DNS is a phone book of the internet. If a state gains centralised control over which domain names can be resolved and which must disappear, the foundation for an open digital presence begins to crumble. That is why we in Denmark work deliberately to ensure that our national infrastructure is decentralised and resilient. The Danish .dk namespace must always remain an open gateway to the world, beyond the control of any single political or commercial actor.
The rise of the splinternet
Geopolitically, the events unfolding to the east are deepening a fundamental divide in how countries think about the internet. We are seeing the rise of what is often called the “splinternet”. Authoritarian regimes are attempting to build closed digital ecosystems of their own, shielding themselves from democratic influence, independent information and the open exchange of ideas.
This development challenges the original vision of one shared global network, the vision of the pioneers of the internet imagined in the 1970s: One World. One Internet.
Today, the internet has become a battleground for great powers. Control over data, cables and domain names increasingly defines the new borders of state power. Unfortunately, the Russian and Iranian models may serve as inspiration for other governments that see digital control as a way to hold on to power in a hyper-connected world.
Safeguarding the soul of the internet
The fight for a free internet is also a fight for the soul of the internet. Technology is never neutral. It reflects the society in which it operates. As we move deeper into 2026, it is clear that digital resilience requires more than good code. It requires political will and international alliances that insist on access to the global internet as a fundamental right.
We must protect the open standards and independent registries that make it impossible for one ruler, one government, or one company to control what can be seen and found online. The story of the Russian and Iranian kill switches is a warning to us all: freedom is not something we secure once and then simply keep. It must be coded, defended and renewed every single day.
As Denmark navigates this new geopolitical reality, we must remember that our own digital security is inseparable from the rest of the world. By strengthening the Danish domain space and ensuring transparent governance, we can help show that technical security and democratic values do not stand in opposition to each other. They belong together. Denmark should be a counterweight to digital isolationism, proving that societies grow stronger when information flows freely and when citizens control their own digital identity.
In the end, this is about making sure that no one can cut Denmark off from the open internet, no matter how turbulent the world around us becomes.
What do you think? Are Denmark and the EU doing enough to protect the open foundations of the internet, or are we taking our digital freedom for granted in an increasingly fragmented world?