Dutch entrepreneur launches The Internet Monument to preserve one million names

The Internet Monument opened June 11, 2026, as a permanent digital archive designed to hold one million names and keep them online for future generations. Dutch entrepreneur Michael Kenis says the project is built to outlast social platforms and let participants leave a small time capsule message.

Why it matters: - The Internet Monument is designed to preserve a slice of internet-era identity in a permanent public record. - The project aims to keep one million names accessible long after typical websites, profiles and social accounts disappear. - Participants can also attach a short message, turning each entry into a digital time capsule.

What happened: - The Internet Monument launched June 11, 2026, from Breda, Netherlands. - Dutch entrepreneur Michael Kenis created the project. - The monument is open to participants worldwide. - People who join receive a monument number, a permanent place inside the archive and the option to leave a message of up to 30 characters. - The project describes each participant as a star inside a growing virtual universe.

The details: - The Internet Monument is limited to exactly one million places. - After the one millionth participant joins, the monument will permanently close and remain online as a completed historical record. - Entries cannot be edited, removed or transferred after registration. - Registration allows a first name, country and optional city. - Participants may use the monument to preserve their own name or the memory of a loved one. - The project combines elements of a monument, a time capsule and an interactive digital archive. - Michael Kenis said the project was created to preserve one million names in internet history and make something future generations may still discover decades from now. - Kenis also said the monument is built around permanence rather than constant change. - More information is available at The Internet Monument.

Between the lines: - The project is positioned as an answer to the fragility of online identity, where platforms can change or vanish. - Limiting the archive to one million slots gives the monument a fixed end point and a sense of scarcity. - The no-edit, no-delete structure makes each entry part of a permanent historical snapshot.

What’s next: - The monument will stay open until all one million places are claimed. - After that, the archive will remain online in completed form for future visitors. - The project will continue adding names until it reaches capacity.