Al Gore, Vint Cerf, Tim Berners-Lee: Meet the internet hall of famers

The internet finally has its own hall of fame, and it’s about time too seeing as playing in the online industry is every bit as tough and competitive as sport. The new hall of fame introduced a number of inductees who have made significant contributions to the development of the internet.

The awards program was established by the Internet Society to “publicly recognise a distinguished and select group of visionaries”. The aim of the hall of fame is to celebrate the people who bring the internet to life. A total of 33 visionaries will be among the first to be inducted to the Internet Hall of Fame in Geneva, Switzerland.

In a press statement, the hall of fame outlined the three categories for the inductees:

Pioneers Circle
This category honours individuals who were “instrumental in the early design and development of the internet.” Inductees include, Paul Baran, Vint Cerf, Danny Cohen, Steve Crocker, Donald Davies, Elizabeth Feinler, Charles Herzfeld, Robert Kahn, Peter Kirstein, Leonard Kleinrock, John Klensin, Jon Postel, Louis Pouzin, and Lawrence Roberts.

Innovators
Honouring individuals who made “outstanding technological, commercial, or policy advances and helped to expand the internet’s reach”. Inductees include, Mitchell Baker, Tim Berners-Lee, Robert Cailliau, Van Jacobson, Lawrence Landweber, Paul Mockapetris, Craig Newmark, Raymond Tomlinson, Linus Torvalds, and Philip Zimmermann.

Global connectors
Recognising those from around the world who have made “significant contributions to the global growth and use of the internet”. Inductees include, Randy Bush, Kilnam Chon, Al Gore, Nancy Hafkin, Geoff Huston, Brewster Kahle, Daniel Karrenberg, Toru Takahashi, and Tan Tin Wee.

“While the inductees have extremely diverse backgrounds and represent many different countries, each individual has an incredible passion for their work. We all benefit from their outstanding contributions to a global Internet, making it one of the greatest catalysts of economic and societal development of all time,” says Lynn St. Amour, President of Internet Society