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Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation

Main Session Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation @IGF2024

Avoiding Internet Fragmentation : Understanding and Contributing to Operationalising the GDC Commitment

19 December, 9:00-10:15, Riyadh  (online 6:00-7:15 am UTC)  Zoom & IGF Sched link

Session outline 

1. Welcome, introductions and session objectives       (5 minutes)

2. Introduction : Summary of PNIF discussions in 2024       (10 minutes)

3. Discussion round 1:  Understanding the commitment in GDC Article 29(c)        (25 minutes)

4. Discussion round 2: Contributing to operationalising the GDC commitment and future discussions        (25 minutes)

5. Summary and next steps         (10 minutes)

 

Discussants 

  • Ms Alisa Heaver, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the Netherlands

  • Mr Amitabh Singhal, ICANN Board of Directors

  • Mr ‘Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Initiative

Moderation

  • Ms Bruna Martins dos Santos, PNIF co-facilitator
  • Ms Sheetal Kumar, PNIF co-facilitator
  • Mr Wim Degezelle, PNIF consultant IGF secretariat
INPUT FOR THE SESSION
 
UN Digital Compact, objective 3, article 29(c)
In the Global Digital Compact, UN Member States commit to 'Promote international cooperation among all stakeholders to prevent, identify and address risks of fragmentation of the Internet in a timely manner. (SDG16)'
 
Key paragraphs from PNIF Webinar 3 Summary that serve as input for the session:
For discussion round 1:
6. Article 29(c) falls under GDC Objective 3, which focuses on fostering an inclusive, open, safe, and secure digital space. It follows Article 26, where Member States ‘recognize that the Internet is a critical global facility for inclusive and equitable digital transformation. To fully benefit all, it must be open, global, interoperable, stable and secure.’ 

Can it be concluded that preventing fragmentation of the Internet means preserving this open, global, interoperable, stable and secure character ?

For discussion Part 2:

Towards a multistakeholder mechanism to monitor and evaluate progress 

13. In light of the 2027 High-Level GDC Review, it is recommended to establish a robust and credible multistakeholder mechanism to monitor progress, evaluate, and report on the outcomes of the significant commitment made in Article 29(c). 

14. The IGF/PNIF is well-positioned to contribute to the design of such a multistakeholder mechanism. As part of this work, the IGF/PNIF should continue to serve as a central platform for multistakeholder discussions on identifying risks of fragmentation and ways to address them. The responsibility for preventing and addressing risks of fragmentation, however, lies with policymakers, whose actions should, to an important extent, be locally driven but held accountable to the commitment outlined in Article 29(c).

15. 2027 is a very tight deadline to organise such a mechanism, collect the information and report, and the multistakeholder community should not delay in taking action; otherwise, they risk that a follow-up mechanism may be established without inclusive multistakeholder participation. 

16. Key characteristics of such a mechanism for monitoring progress must include:

  • a. Global participation: It should involve internet communities from all regions across the world.
  • b. Multistakeholder engagement: The mechanism must include all stakeholders: governments, civil society, the technical community, and the user community (both businesses and individual internet users). 
  • c. Structured and supported framework: It should be well-structured and supported, given the 2027 deadline, first preparations should start as early as possible and preferably in the first half of 2025.;
  • d. Active outreach to and cooperation with the UN: The mechanism should actively engage with the UN Tech Envoy and later with the future Office, aiming to be recognized as the primary mechanism for monitoring this particular commitment.
 

 

PNIF session at IGF 2024 : 19 December, Riyadh, 9:00-10:15 ( 6:00-7:15 am UTC) 

The PNIF is crowdsourcing examples of measures that cause of risk to cause fragmentation : submit your examples here 

Introduction

The IGF Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation (PNIF) focusses on policy, technical, legal and regulatory measures that threaten the open, interconnected, and interoperable nature of the Internet. The PNIF, an IGF intersessional activity, emerged from a community effort led by a multistakeholder coalition of civil society, business and technical organizations. The PNIF aims to raise awareness of actions and measures that risk fragmenting the Internet and wants to serve as a platform tor fostering dicussions on how avoid such fragmentation.

PNIF Framework for Discussing Fragmentation

The PNIF Framework for Discussing Fragmentation was developed bottom-up through discussions held in 2022 and 2023. Its overall goal is to serve as a general guiding and guiding tool for continuing the dialogue about fragmentation, engaging more people and stakeholders in a holistic and inclusive debate. Simultaneously, it aims to create a space for focused discussions, and working towards concrete solutions, policy approaches and guidelines to avoind Internet fragmentation.  The framework conceptualises three key dimesions of fragmentation: Fragmentation of the Internet user experience, Fragmentation of the Internet's technical layer, and Fragmentation of Internet governance and coordination. (link)

PNIF 2024 activities

PNIF Webinar 1 - Avoiding Internet Fragmentation. Still a matter of concern in 2024?   19 June 2-3:30pm UTC

When the PNIF launched in 2022, it was strongly inspired by the UN Secretary General's call to address 'avoiding fragmentation of the Internet' in the Global Digital Compact (GDC). Two years later, with ongoing preparations for the GDC and the upcoming WSIS+20 discussions, the PNIF seeks to evaluate how this call is being followed up and how the PNIF platform and framework can be most effective in fostering holistic and inclusive discussions on fragmentation, thereby reflecting on and contributing to these critical dialogues.

PNIF Webinar 2 - Avoiding Internet Fragmentation. Still a matter of concern in 2024 and beyond?  9 October 1:30-3:00pm UTC

After the Summit of the Future and with the GDC agreed, the webinar wants to repeat the same two questions participants discussed during the first webinar:

  1. Is avoiding Internet fragmentation still a major concern in the outcome text? In what way is Internet fragmentation reflected in the outcome text?
  2. How can the PNIF effectively contribute to future holistic multistakeholder discussion on fragmentation ? (including but not limited to the WSIS+20 review)

PNIF Webinar 3 - Contributing to Operationalising the GDC Commitment ? 19 November 1:00-2:30pm UTC

In the Global Digital Compact UN Member States commit to 'Promote international cooperation among all stakeholders to prevent, identify and address risks of fragmentation of the Internet in a timely manner (SDG16)’ (Objective 3, art 29, (c)) . The 3rd PNIF webinar will focus on how the PNIF and stakeholders in general can contribute to operationalising this commitment.

Ongoing - crowdsourcing examples of measures that risk to cause fragmentation 

A small team has begun exploring how to conduct empirical research to document government actions and their intended or unintended impact on Internet functionality. This initiative aims to help governments understand and mitigate the effects of their decisions, ultimately improving future policymaking. This was a suggested action point that emerged from the first webinar.  For this work stream the PNIF is crowdsourcing examples of measures that cause of risk to cause fragmentation : submit your examples here. 

 

 

 

participate All interested stakeholders can join an open dedicated mailing list and take active participation through regular meetings and others means of collaboration. ‎ The PNIF 2024 proposal was confirmed at the IGF 2024 MAG Meeting, 28-29 February 2024, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Within the PNIF is a Multistakeholder Working Group of experts which ‎supports transforming community’s expressed views into concrete actions, such as outputs and actionable next steps.

PNIF output reports