The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) included a mandate to establish the Internet Governance Forum, where “organizations responsible for essential tasks associated with the Internet contribute to an environment that facilitates the development of public policy principles.”

The IGF does not produce concrete outcomes, but is instead focused on open discussions to help inform policy and decision-making using a multistakeholder model where participation is open to all on equal footing. This model is vital for the effective sharing of ideas and concepts that affect such a broad range of stakeholders.

APNIC participates at global IGF, and has helped build the process into the robust multistakeholder forum it is today. In particular, APNIC has advocated the importance of technical expertise in discussions about managing the global Internet.

Watch this short video about why APNIC supports the IGF:

APrIGF

The Asia-Pacific regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) serves as a platform for discussion, exchange and collaboration at a regional level, and also where possible to aggregate national IGF discussions, ultimately advance the Internet governance development in the Asia Pacific region.

National IGFs

There are numerous national level Internet Governance Forums and likeminded events that take place across the Asia Pacific. These include auIGF in Australia, BIGF in Bangladesh, NetHui in New Zealand and others.

How you can participate

As long as the Internet expands and evolves, it will continue to be the subject of political debate. Everyone must take an active role in running the Internet and addressing Internet governance challenges. Here’s what you can do now:

• Take an interest in domestic Internet governance discussions. What challenges does your local community face, and what policies are being introduced to address them?
• Start or contribute to an ongoing dialogue on Internet issues with your relevant government agencies. Your expertise could help inform better decision making at a local or national level, which would positively impact everyone.
• Advocate for continued industry participation and leadership on Internet issues.
• Participate in national, regional, or global IGF meetings. Share your knowledge and experience.