Quand les mots font des chosesAnalyse d'une controverse sur la terminologie inclusive à l'InternetEngineering Task Force (IETF)

More and more institutions choose to adopt so-called "inclusive" language and the IT field is no exception. This does not come without some opposition. This article investigates a controversy over the introduction of a guide for the use of inclusive terms within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a key body in Internet governance. The main arguments in favor of inclusive terminology support its importance for increasing diversity. Conversely, the arguments against it suggest that the change is not significantly effective for this purpose, and that it is technically complex. These different arguments also echo those mobilized in other contexts, and our research clearly shows that the Internet infrastructures are the subject of debates participating in ongoing societal controversies.