ISOC Switzerland Chapter takes part in “We the Internet” Global Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Dialogue
On June 5th and 6th, Mission Publiques invited stakeholders worldwide to discuss the future of Internet governance and to seek answers to How to shape the future of digital cooperation? Who should decide how to leverage the opportunities brought by the use of digital technologies and mitigate the risks they involve? A couple of board members of ISOC CH joined this global citizens’ and stakeholders’ dialogue “We, the Internet” to discuss the future of Internet governance. The objective was to evaluate the three models for the future of Internet governance proposed by experts in the Report from the “High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation”.
In each session, a 15 minute high level overview of the recommended models; Digital Commons Architecture (DCA)1, a Distributed Co Governance Architecture (CoGov)2 and a reformed Internet Governance Forum (IGF+)3 was given. The participants were then asked to discuss the pros and cons of each model in subgroups of 5 to 7 people. Next an individual questionnaire was handed out to determine which model was preferred. Upon completion, the survey results were shared with everyone in order to move on to the next round where the potentials as well as the constraints were discussed in subgroups. The participants were then asked how the chosen model could draw from the other ones to improve it. Afterwards, another individual questionnaire was filled out before going back to the plenary session. Subsequently, the final questionnaire results were shared with all the participants and the next steps were laid out.
The “We, the Internet” dialogue was held four times over the two days in order to gather input from a wide variety of participants. The resulting ideas, visions, arguments and solutions will be compiled and will feed the process of the High Level Panel, organized by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
October 2020 – Citizens’ Dialogue
On October 10th, groups of hundreds of ordinary citizens will meet, get informed, discuss, and deliver a collective view on the core stakes of digitalization. Participants will be selected to represent the diversity of their regions and countries and will come from all walks of life.
Those dialogues will help provide quantitative and qualitative data at global, national, and regional levels. They will articulate the needs and visions of citizens worldwide, and provide smart new insights. Topics will be “Internet and me”, “Building a strong digital identity”, “Creating an inclusive digital public sphere” and “Governing artificial intelligence”.
Footnotes:
1 The age of digital interdependence, p26.