Session
Organizer 1: Xiaobo YANG, Fuxi Institution
Organizer 2: Feng PENG, China Internet Development Foundation
Organizer 3: Chunyan Yang, China Internet Development Foundation
Organizer 4: Feng Peng, China Internet Development Foundation
Speaker 1: Chunyan YANG, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Xiaodong Lee, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: paul vixie, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Feng PENG, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Xiaobo YANG, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Xiaobo YANG, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Panel - Auditorium - 90 Min
1. What are the main reasons and typical phenomena of Internet fragmentation in the era of digital civilization?
2. How to avoid Internet fragmentation by strengthening international cooperation on digital economy and with what mechanisms and paths could we take to make it? What roles would the multi-stakeholders play during the process?
3. What are the functions of governance on data, algorithm and platform in promoting the sustainable development of digital economy as well as the construction of the digital civilization?
Connection with previous Messages: The Katowice IGF Messages had summarized that “while the Internet contributes to social, cultural and economic growth, questions of governance, accountability, misuse, trust and access still exist”, and that “collaborative, equitable and inclusive Internet governance is imperative and requires well-structured coordination and consolidation.” The document pointed out that “stakeholders have a joint responsibility in ensuring that digital transformation processes are diverse, inclusive, democratic and sustainable”. It called for “collaboration, partnerships and cooperation” among stakeholders, and strengthened IGF’s role in building trust in digital cooperation. Inspired by these contents, this workshop aims at providing with substantive suggestions for how to promote international cooperation in the field of digital economy, including its paths and mechanisms among stakeholders, as well as how to solve and deal with the most worrying problems that leading Internet fragmentation. The organizers believe that trust and confidence in digital cooperation will be promoted by workshops like this one, and help keep the Internet development towards a sustainable and inclusive way.
8.2
16.8
17.16
17.17
Targets: (1) This workshop emphasizes the critical role of digital economy. As a new economic form, the digital economy relies much on the production factor of data, and has high requirements for technology and innovation. Vice versa, it will also react to innovation and improve the productivity.
(2) There is a certain positive correlation between the levels of Internet development and digital economy, which implies that the level of digital economy development and participation in global governance institutions in the vast number of developing countries is still in its infancy. To strengthen international cooperation and improve participation of developing countries is an important part.
(3) To enhance international cooperation on digital economy in the era of digital civilization, to avoid Internet fragmentation, as well as to realize the sustainable development of Internet, the model of combining the multilateral and multi-stakeholder approach in dealing with Internet issues within the framework of UN is necessary to adhere, so that each party could play its positive roles.
Description:
The full title of this workshop is "International Cooperation on Digital Economy in an Era of Digital Civilization: Importance, Mechanisms and Paths".
From a global perspective, the fourth industrial Revolution, typically characterized by the integration of new technologies carried by the Internet, is profoundly affecting all aspects of politics, economy, science and technology and culture, as well as various parties such as governments, private enterprises, non-governmental institutions and the general public, bringing extensive impacts and promoting the society stepping into an era of digital civilization. However, we’re also facing unprecedented challenges at the same time. The digital divide brought by the different levels of ICT development and business practices, the rule conflict problems brought by inconsistent data policies in different countries, are all signs that Internet fragmentation is taking place. What worries more might be the prominent phenomenon of polarization in cyberspace during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing conflicts and confrontations among different groups. And also, the interconnectivity of global Internet infrastructure had undergone a major crisis in the early 2022, further exacerbating the fragmentation. All these problems run counter to the value of an open, free and interoperable Internet that the global community has been insisting and cherishing for a long time. As noted in the UN's Our Common Agenda, the potential harms of the digital sphere now threaten to outweigh the benefits, and thus proposed a Global Digital Compact to be agreed at the UN’s Summit of the Future in 2023.
It is in such a complex context and situation that global multi-stakeholders need to work together to seek to avoid further fragmentation of the Internet. The digital economy has become a new driven force for economic growth in many countries, and the development of it may bring common interests for different countries and regions. In particular, it should be noted that digital economy is a typical economic form that relies on the free flow of data and globalization, thus promoting and consolidating international cooperation in this field can to some extent hedge against the current trend of Internet fragmentation. To promote effective and inclusive digital cooperation is one of the 12 action areas listed in Our Common Agenda, also highlighted in the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.
This workshop will invite experts and guests from multi-stakeholders worldwide, including government departments, international organizations, civil society, private sectors, technical communities, to mainly discuss the international cooperation on digital economy in the era of digital civilization from different perspectives. Starting from the phenomenon of cyberspace polarization and interconnectivity issues of Internet infrastructure, the speakers are encouraged to share views based on experience in their respective fields. Policy questions to be discussed include: the embodiment of importance of international cooperation on digital economy in the era of digital civilization; what the mechanism and path for international cooperation on digital economy are; what could the multi-stakeholders do to deal with the problem of Internet fragmentation; and what the role of governance on data, algorithm and platform is in promoting the sustainable development of digital economy as well as constructing of the digital civilization, etc.
The agenda for this workshop is as follows:
(1) Introduction (5 minutes): The moderator will introduce the backgrounds and purpose of organizing this workshop and define the topics.
(2) Speech (40 minutes): Five speakers from different communities, countries and regions, professional areas, will make keynote speeches, expressing their opinions based on their respective positions.
(3) Discussion (30 minutes): Five speakers and other invited guests will discuss specific policy questions. At the same time, the online moderator will initiate online voting to obtain the virtual participants’ attitudes towards specific issues.
(4) Q&A (10 minutes): Online or onsite audiences are encouraged to communicate with speakers and exchange views.
(5) Summary (5 minutes): The moderator will summarize the views and opinions.
Five speakers of this workshop:
(1) Ms. Chunyan Yang, Secretary General of China Internet Development Foundation
(2) Dr. Paul Vixie, Inductee of Internet Hall of Fame, Vice President and Distinguished Engineer of AWS Security
(3) Prof. Xiaodong Lee, Founder & CEO of Fuxi Institution, Director of Center for Internet Governance, Tsinghua University
(4) Dr. Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform
(5) Ms. Thelma Quaye, Head of Digital Infrastructure Program of Smart Africa Alliance
Other guests to be invited:
(1) Representative from Cyberspace Administration of China
(2) Prof. Dave Farber, Inductee of Internet Hall of Fame, Co-chair of Cyber Civilization Research Center of Keio University
(3) Prof. Xing Li, Inductee of Internet Hall of Fame, Professor of Tsinghua University
(4) Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen, former MAG Chair of IGF
(5) Representatives from Internet enterprises, such as Tesla, Lenovo, Tencent, Bytedance, Daimler, Linkedin.
Considering that Our Common Agenda and UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation are calling on the IGF to innovate and reform, and make positive contributions to the Global Digital Compact, this workshop will try to achieve the following outputs and outcomes:
(1) Providing substantive and feasible suggestions for the mechanisms and paths of international cooperation on digital economy, and contributing wisdom to the UN’s Global Digital Compact.
(2) Sharing best practice and experience of promoting international cooperation in the field of digital economy.
(3) Demonstrating the value of openness and cooperation for all’s development in an era of digital civilization, and promoting to reach consensus.
Hybrid Format: (1) The workshop will be conducted in a hybrid format and encouraging speakers & guests to participate in onsite. If they are not able to go to Ethiopia, they will attend online and interact with audience through the IGF official meeting tool.
(2) To facilitate interaction between onsite and online participants, the workshop will set up discussion and Q&A sessions. The moderators will keep a balance of speaking opportunities for both online and onsite guests. The online moderator will communicate with online participants in the discussion board.
(3) According to the policy situation of pandemic prevention and control, the organizers will decide whether to go to Ethiopia. If not, the organizers will set up an offline sub-venue in China and invite local participants to interact face to face. The organizers will also try to find local partners to interact with onsite participants.
(4) The organizers will pre-publicized this workshop through social media and other media channels, to attract more people to get involved.
(5) Relevant materials or research reports will be provided in advance for workshop participants.
Usage of IGF Official Tool.