Controlling the Narrative - Part 6

International Efforts by Organisations and NGOs to Control the Internet

In this article I consider International organisations as an aspect of controlling the narrative and the narrative of control

This article examines UN initiatives such as the Internet Governance Forum and the International Telecommunications Union. It considers the way in which these organisations operate and the risk of “capture” by representative nation states.

The part also provides a context for the Dubai Conference of 2012 which is discussed in the preceding article.

In some respects the Dubai Conference demonstrates a form of confluence between “Governance by Governments” on the one hand and the more mediated and consensus based approach adopted by International organisations which fulfil a more policy and solution based approach untrammelled by the realpolitik that accompanies sovereign based decision and rule making.

International Governance Initiatives - The Internet Governance Forum and the ITU

The onset of the Digital Paradigm and the revolution that developed after the Internet went commercial in 1993 – 94 fundamentally changed the way people think, behave, communicate, work and earn their livelihood. It has provided new ways to create knowledge, educate people and disseminate information. It revolutionised the way the world conducts economic and business practices, runs governments and engages politically. It provided for the speedy delivery of humanitarian aid and healthcare, and a new vision for environmental protection. It has created new avenues for entertainment and leisure. At the same time, concerns were noted that large sections of the world did not benefit from the advantages provided by the Internet – referred to as the digital divide

Recognising that this new dynamic required a global discussion, the International Telecommunications Union, following a proposal by the Government of Tunisia, resolved in 1998 to hold a World Summit on the Information Society and place it on the agenda of the United Nations.

The Internet Governance Forum

The Summit proposal was endorsed by UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183 on 21 December 2001. Meetings were held, first in Geneva in 2003 and then in Tunis in 2005. The Tunis Agenda called for the Secretary General of the United Nations to convene a meeting of a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue to be called the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The mandate of the Forum is to:

• Discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.

• Facilitate discourse between bodies dealing with different cross-cutting international public policies regarding the Internet and discuss issues that do not fall within the scope of any existing body.

• Interface with appropriate intergovernmental organizations and other institutions on matters under their purview.

• Facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, and in this regard make full use of the expertise of the academic, scientific and technical communities.

• Advise all stakeholders in proposing ways and means to accelerate the availability and affordability of the Internet in the developing world.

• Strengthen and enhance the engagement of stakeholders in existing and/or future Internet governance mechanisms, particularly those from developing countries.

• Identify emerging issues, bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public, and, where appropriate, make recommendations.

• Contribute to capacity building for Internet governance in developing countries, drawing fully on local sources of knowledge and expertise.

• Promote and assess, on an ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS principles in Internet governance processes.

• Discuss, inter alia, issues relating to critical Internet resources.

• Help to find solutions to the issues arising from the use and misuse of the Internet, of particular concern to everyday users.

• Publish its proceedings.

It was proposed that the IGF would build on existing Internet Governance structures, noting the various interests of governments, business entities, civil society and intergovernmental organisations. The IGF would have a lightweight, decentralised structure that would be periodically reviewed and would meet periodically as required. Meetings are held annually.

The IGF is primarily a discussion forum. It does not have any direct decision making authority. The principal objective seems to be to bring stakeholders together and strengthen engagement between them.

The United Nations endorsed a five year mandate for the IGF in April 2006 and in 2010 after a re-evaluation of its continuation, the IGF was to be continued for a further five years. In December 2015 the mandate was further extended, this time for 10 years. During this period the IGF was expected to show progress on working modalities and participation of relevant stakeholders from developing countries. In extending the mandate the General Assembly of the UN emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder participation

“recognizing that effective participation, partnership and cooperation of Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, the technical and academic communities and all other relevant stakeholders, within their respective roles and responsibilities, especially with balanced representation from developing countries, has been and continues to be vital in developing the information society.”

At the same time concern was expressed that there were still significant digital divides based not only upon lack of access but a discriminatory issue involving access by women to Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Associated with this was a recognition that the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) vision should not be considered as a function of economic development and the spreading of information and communications technologies but as a function of progress with respect to the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Paragraph 34 of the Tunis Agenda provided a working definition of Internet Governance “as the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Within that very broad definition the IGF is expected to

“promote greater participation and engagement in the Internet governance discussions of Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, the technical and academic communities and all other relevant stakeholders from developing countries, particularly African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, and middle-income countries, as well as countries in situations of conflict, post-conflict countries and countries affected by natural disasters.”

What does the IGF Do?

Is the IGF merely a talk-fest? Does it serve a useful purpose? It first must be observed that it does not involve itself in active governance structures. What it does provide is a space for the sharing of information and the development of solutions on important Internet issues. It was decided from the outset that it would not be a decision-making body but rather an environment which allows participants to speak freely on an equal footing without the limitations that may be linked to the negotiation of formalised outcomes. What emerges from IGF discussions is material that plays an essential role in shaping the decisions taken by other groups that assist in the running of the Internet.

Anyone who has a stake in the future of the Internet can go and be heard. The IGF was founded and operates on the principles of being bottom-up, transparent, and inclusive. Without it, there would be no common ground where people who have a stake in the future of the Internet could develop local solutions with a global impact, addressing issues such as issues surrounding human rights on the Internet, problems with SPAM and unsolicited commercial electronic messages, security and privacy, online surveillance and infrastructure development

The IGF identifies issues that need to be dealt with by the international community and shapes the decisions that will be taken elsewhere. The IGF identifies issues of concern and puts them on the international policy agenda. It informs the decision-makers and shapes the policy-making processes of other institutions and governments. It relies therefore upon a moral persuasive power backed by the mandate given it by the United Nations.

IGF Development