Governing the Internet

The Internet Governance Forum's annual conference started today in Nairobi. This year's theme is the "Internet as a catalyst for change," and the role of Web tools in sparking social change appears to be a popular topic. I've been following the conference today, listening for what new ideas and norms will come out of the confluence of civil society groups, human rights activists, tech experts, and government representatives the UN brings together each fall. The Internet is such a sprawling, fast-growing network of devices, users, and applications that many of us who call ourselves residents or digital natives can hardly define the place, let alone manage it. In that spirit, the IGF is an ambitious attempt to bring together all the Internet's stakeholders and provide an inclusive conversation on the policies and principles that underpin these global connections and the many, many ways in which we use them. In lieu of bringing together state officials and designing formal governance rules or authorities, IGF brings together a series of "dynamic coalitions" to discuss specific subject areas. The coalition on the Freedom of Expression on the Internet, for example, brings together representatives from Freedom House and the Biblioteca Alexandrina to provide expert commentary on how to protect human rights online. Other topics on tap this week include security, access, and recent innovations. As I'm still getting oriented on NDI's work on Internet Freedom and citizen participation, I'll definitely be tuning in through the rest of the week!