[bestbits] Strengthening Internet Governance: the message from the Geneva Internet Conference

[Roxana Radu]

Dear colleagues,

With one week's reflection and careful analysis of the detailed conference
reporting, we are pleased to present the outcome document:


*Strengthening Internet Governance: the message from the Geneva Internet
Conference*

The Message is multi-layered:

   1. Two-page document
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=62a35e48e1&e=81bfcadc02>:
   provides a quick overview (key messages are also listed below)
   2. Additional information
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=493c0475fe&e=81bfcadc02>:
   points from discussions, background information
   3. Detailed information
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=3063eef718&e=81bfcadc02>:
   video recordings and notes from the sessions


There is a also a time component to the Geneva Message:

   - Pre-conference discussion
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=fb1ac1a852&e=81bfcadc02>
   (September-November)
   - Conference discussion itself
   - Post-conference discussion (we will build further discussion around
   the Geneva Message as Vladimir Radunović (GIP) did during the Pristina
   cyber-forum last week and the Arab Internet Governance Forum
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=da405669b3&e=81bfcadc02>
   this week). In this way, we will provide coherence, solidity, and
   sustainability to the conference process.


Please let us know if you need any additional information. It would  also
be great to get feedback from your communities and suggestions for the next
steps in strengthening the Geneva Message.

We look forward to interacting with you further at the following GIP
events:

   - Today (Friday) at noon CET, join us for a webinar on Outcomes of the
   ITU's Plenipotentiary Conference
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=1b07043436&e=81bfcadc02>
   - 2 December (Tuesday) at 13:00 CET, join us online or in situ for the
   regular Geneva briefing -  Internet Governance in November: a bubbling
   cauldron
   <http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=206cec379d&e=81bfcadc02>


Jovan, Tereza, and Roxana

------------------------------


*  Strengthening Internet Governance: the message from the Geneva Internet
Conference*
17-19 November 2014

*1. Mapping Internet governance in a comprehensible and dynamic way*
The mapping of Internet governance (IG) – identifying the issues and who
deals with them – should be comprehensible and dynamic in order to
facilitate easy access to IG for newcomers and improve coordination of
activities among stakeholders.  *More info..
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=d9f47a29c7&e=81bfcadc02>*

*2. Bridging policy silos *
Professional and institutional policy silos exist from local to global
level, both within and between institutions. Bridging them, with their
different practices and vocabularies, is essential in designing and
implementing effective and inclusive IG policies. These silos can be
traversed using a mix of structured and ad hoc approaches, ranging from
joint working groups to informal exchanges. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=b9a274b8a6&e=81bfcadc02>

*3. Harvesting and harnessing IG complexity*
The complexity of IG can be both a threat and an enabler. As a threat,
complexity may trigger policy paralysis. As an enabler, if complexity is
harvested, it can enrich the IG space with diverse ideas and initiatives.
If harnessed, it can help actors to address their IG priorities without
losing sight of the broader policy picture. Efforts to deal with complexity
should not lead to oversimplification; flexible forms of cooperation should
be encouraged. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=9b58ba4bb7&e=81bfcadc02>

*4. Developing innovative legal approaches to the Internet *
Legal rules and jurisdiction on the Internet evolve through
reinterpretation, adaptation, and expansion of existing laws. In some
cases, the creation of new legal mechanisms for online space (e.g. the
right to be forgotten, e-signatures) is required. Innovative solutions
should be informed by the cumulative wisdom of the legal profession.  *More
info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=d1a8e05555&e=81bfcadc02>

*5. Strengthening genuine participation in IG processes*
Full inclusion and genuine participation in IG processes increases the
quality and also the acceptance of the policies adopted, building on the
diversity of views represented. Strengthening inclusive multistakeholder
participation requires a sense of community around which online
participation can be implemented. E-participation requires good planning
and considerable social engagement. An effective interplay between in situ
and e-participation can be achieved through changes in the organisation of
meetings, adjustment of procedures, and training. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=a4e5a26fcf&e=81bfcadc02>

*6. Ensuring holistic capacity development*
Capacity development for IG should be holistic, going beyond simply
training individuals. To be sustainable, capacity development should
support the emergence of functional and robust institutions which are
essential for facilitating innovation, rule of law, and protecting human
rights on the Internet. Capacity development requires a smart mix of
training, coaching, and the introduction of policy mechanisms adjusted to
specific local and national contexts. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=377ec0b95d&e=81bfcadc02>

*7. Aiming for full transparency, accepting occasional translucency*
Transparency is a necessary condition for trust, and for the accountability
that all IG processes need to adhere to and, where possible,
institutionalise. Occasional translucency – being transparent about what we
cannot be transparent about – can be accepted when the risks posed by
disclosing information are greater than the overall benefits, in particular
if they affect those in a vulnerable position. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=866f5cca97&e=81bfcadc02>

*8. Using subsidiarity effectively *
While the Internet is a global network, policy implications are often local
and national. As the Internet as a network of networks allows for a
diversity of local technical solutions that are interoperable, this
approach should also be used more at policy level. While adhering to
globally shared basic principles, there should be room for diversity of
policies responding to different local and regional needs and priorities.
Using the principle of subsidiarity to address IG issues at the appropriate
level will make IG more effective. It will improve trust in, and ownership
and acceptance of, Internet-related policies. When it is not possible to
solve a problem locally, ‘policy elevators’ should bring the issue to the
optimal level. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=69a796ff49&e=81bfcadc02>

*9. Drafting IG policies in open consultation *
Inclusive and participatory multistakeholder policy drafting should start
with open consultations. Procedures should facilitate the involvement of
diverse actors in collaborative drafting, reflecting a multitude of
approaches (diplomatic, technical, civil society, business, etc.).
Transparency, with checks and balances, can maximise the potential for
broad consensus and minimise the risk of a few actors hijacking the
process.  *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=a2d9603124&e=81bfcadc02>

*10. Prioritising evidence and data collection*
Evidence and data should contribute to more solid and sustainable IG.
Evidence-based IG typically starts with identifying a full range of
possibly diverse needs and aims on all levels. It collects relevant data
using appropriate tools and methods, measures and assesses impact, and
presents findings in an understandable way for policymakers. Priority areas
for evidence-based approaches are cybercrime, and monitoring the level of
digital divide. *More info..*
<http://giplatform.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4fd1ca1d5793b4d797ce48eb0&id=499e6e6fd3&e=81bfcadc02>
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