[At-Large] input to WSIS+20 comments sought

[Loris Taylor]

Hello Marita

I hope this helps.  It is wordy, much longer than 3 minutes, but I didn’t have time to pare it down.  Good luck with the forum.

> How does your community explain what are the essentials to protect the global internet and to formulate a long-term vision that works for politicians.
> 

By Loris Taylor, President & CEO, Native Public Media

The protection of the global internet is crucial for the well-being of communities and societies around the world. To ensure that the internet remains a safe and open space for all, communities must come together and formulate a long-term vision to guide politicians in their decision-making. To protect the global internet, communities must first understand the essential elements. According to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), these include access, openness, security, diversity, and innovation. Access refers to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to use and benefit from the internet, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. Openness refers to the principle that the internet should be a free and open space for all, where ideas can be shared and exchanged without censorship or discrimination. Security involves protecting users and their data from cyber threats and attacks. At the same time, diversity emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the internet reflects its users' cultural, linguistic, and social diversity. Finally, innovation involves promoting new technologies and applications that can enhance the value and impact of the internet for everyone.

To formulate a long-term vision that works for politicians, communities must engage in a multilateral process such as WSIS+20. This UN process provides a platform for government, civil society, and the private sector stakeholders to come together and discuss issues related to the internet and its governance. By working with political allies within this process, communities can build consensus around a shared vision for the internet that reflects the essential elements of access, openness, security, diversity, and innovation; and guide policy-making at the national and international levels, ensuring that the internet remains a vital tool for social, economic, and political progress in the years to come.  

> How would we see this definition evolving and what kinds of resources are needed to realize that goal?
> 

The definition of what is essential to protect the global internet will likely evolve as technology, society, and geopolitical conditions change over time. For example, as new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things become more prevalent, there may be a need to address issues related to their impact on the internet and its users. Similarly, as society becomes more aware of the social and environmental implications of technology, there may be a need to include sustainability and ethical considerations in defining what is essential to protect the internet.

Realizing the goal of protecting the global internet will require various resources, including technical expertise, financial resources, and political will. Technical expertise is needed to develop and implement technologies and standards that can enhance the security, openness, and accessibility of the internet. Financial resources are necessary to support research and development, infrastructure investment, and capacity-building initiatives that bridge the digital divide and ensure everyone has internet access. Political will is needed to enable the internet to thrive through policies and regulations protecting users' rights, promoting innovation, and fostering collaboration across different sectors and stakeholders.

In addition to these resources, engaging a wide range of stakeholders in protecting the global internet will be essential, including governments, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector, and individual users. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, it is possible to build a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of what is essential to protect the internet and to develop strategies and solutions that can be effective in a rapidly changing world. 

Best,

Loris Taylor
President & CEO
Native Public Media
www.nativepublicmedia.org


> On Mar 9, 2023, at 11:37 AM, Marita Moll via At-Large <at-large at atlarge-lists.icann.org> wrote:
> 
> Colleagues, I will have 3 minutes in the WSIS+20 public forum on Wednesday to address the following question from an enduser perspective -- 
> 
> How does your community explain what are the essentials to protect the global internet and to formulate a long-term vision that works for politicians. *Note that WSIS+20 is a UN process which is multilateral -- so working with political allies would be essential.
> 
> Background: WSIS2003 (World Summit on the Information Society) was an intergovernmental conference where other groups had access and observer status which was a step forward at the time. It established a working group on internet governance (WGIG) which was multistakeholder and which developed the following definition --
> 
> "Internet governance is 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." This led to the establishment of the Internet Governance Forum (2006)
> 
> How would we see this definition evolving and what kinds of resources are needed to realize that goal?
> 
> I would welcome any input.
> 
> Marita
> 
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