Show Up and Show Out – The Internet’s Counting on You
By Joseph Catapano, Class Four Fellow at the Internet Law and Policy Foundry, ICANN Stakeholder Engagement Director, North America and Global Academia
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Internet Law & Policy Foundry or any other entity.
The Internet has undoubtedly transformed the way we live, work, and communicate. Its success is rooted in its decentralized, multistakeholder model of governance, which has allowed for innovation and inclusivity. However, the recently concluded 2023 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Kyoto brought to light threats to this model, posing significant challenges to the founding principles of the Internet itself.
The Internet, as we know it today, was born out of a spirit of collaboration and openness. Think you know the names? Chances are you don’t. Jobs? Gates? Bezos? Think again. Try Cerf, Crocker, and Kahn just to name a few of the men, and oh by the way there are women pioneers as well. Type “Elizabeth J. Feinler” or “Stacy Horn” into your search bar or AI chatbot and see what you come up with.
The pioneers envisioned a network that connects people and information globally – that vision was fulfilled rather quickly. Fast-forward to the mid-late 1990s and the Internet’s exponential growth needed a governance model that allowed space for innovation with sensible guardrails in place for users.
To achieve this, the community designed a decentralized governance model that would empower multiple stakeholders – from governments and businesses to civil society and technical experts – to participate in shaping the Internet's evolution.
This multistakeholder approach ensured that the Internet remained a neutral platform for innovation, free from the undue influence of any single entity. It allowed for diverse perspectives to be heard and incorporated into the decision-making process, fostering a sense of ownership among its users. This collaborative governance framework enabled the Internet's rapid growth and development, making it an integral part of modern society.
The success of the multistakeholder model of Internet governance is undeniable. However, it faces various threats to its existence.
One of the prominent threats is the increasing trend of governments asserting their authority over the Internet within their borders. The danger of what is commonly referred to as a “fragmented Internet,” with different rules that can stifle the free flow of information cannot be understated. The multistakeholder model, through the participation of all stakeholders, in bodies such as the Internet Engineering Task Force, Internet Technical Advisory Committee to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and the IGF ensures that policies, laws, and other rules related to the network don’t compromise its singularity, stability, and interoperability.
The Internet has become a battlefield for cyber threats, with incidents ranging from data breaches to nation-state-sponsored attacks. Governments worldwide are pushing for stricter controls and surveillance in the name of security, potentially compromising the open nature of the Internet.
As emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence reshape the digital landscape, new governance challenges arise. Ensuring these technologies align with the principles of openness and inclusivity requires careful consideration and active engagement from all stakeholders.
To take just one example, ICANN takes a proactive approach to foster government engagement and collaboration within the multistakeholder framework. Currently, there are 182 Member governments and 38 Observer organizations in the ICANN community, participating through the Government Advisory Committee. But the work doesn’t stop there.
ICANN's Government Engagement Publications provide valuable resources and insights for stakeholders looking to navigate the complex world of Internet governance and provides in-depth analysis on a host of issues. I encourage everyone to look at the papers there.
Additionally, ICANN’s Government and Intergovernmental Organizations Engagement team provides briefings and other programs for diplomats and other government representatives to support their expertise in this space. My team at ICANN, Global Stakeholder Engagement, provides similar service to non-governmental participants in the Internet ecosystem.
To address the most pressing issues in Internet policy, it is essential for governments to actively engage with stakeholders from all sectors in Internet governance processes. That is why forums such as the IGF are so important.
It is important to recognize the importance of keeping the openness and interoperability of today’s Internet in mind when debating ways to mitigate emerging threats. The success stories of the Internet -- whether it is the ability to communicate seamlessly with friends and family thousands of miles away, buy your favorite pair of shoes with a click and have it delivered to your home the next day, or ordering that delicious meal you’ve been craving but don’t have time to make at home – were built on openness and interconnectedness, but they were also built on a system of governance that is multistakeholder in nature – bringing together parties from all sectors. The technology is interconnected, but the reason it works so well is because the policy has been too.
None of this is guaranteed though. It takes effort, it takes diligence, it takes thoroughness, and it takes a commitment to working together. My colleagues in the Internet ecosystem did their part in Kyoto this week, but as we all know – it doesn’t stop there. The best way to honor the women and men who built the Internet we hold dear is to show up and defend the governance model that has supported the technology.