IGF 2024 Open Forum #40 Governing the Future Internet: The 2025 Web 4.0 Conference

    Roundtable
    Duration (minutes): 60
    Format description: Panel Discussions: Featuring a diverse group of experts including policymakers, technologists, legal experts, and ethicists.
    Q&A Sessions: Allow for extensive interaction between the audience and panelists to on the aims and design of the conference.

    Description

    As we stand at the brink of a technological revolution with Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds (VW), the landscape of Internet governance faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This session aims to set the stage for the global multi-stakeholder conference organized by the European Union in March 2025 by initiating a global, multi-stakeholder discussion on the necessary governance frameworks for these emerging digital environments. Our focus will be on exploring how these technologies can be governed in a way that aligns with universal values and principles, ensuring that they are secure, inclusive, and innovative.
    Objectives:
    The Open Forum will present the aims of the 2025 conference and initiate a thorough discussion with the IGF community on:
    • Define Challenges and Opportunities: Discuss the legal, ethical, and societal implications of Web 4.0 and VW to outline the key governance challenges and opportunities.
    • Map Out Governance Models: Explore potential models for a resilient global governance framework that is adaptive to technological advancements and societal shifts.
    • Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities: Identify the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, including governments, private sectors, technical communities, and civil society in shaping the governance of VW and Web 4.0.
    • Technical Standards and Compliance: Deliberate on the need for new technical standards and mechanisms for compliance and dispute resolution within virtual worlds.


    We will use the IGF platform that allows seamless interaction between onsite and online participants. Dedicated moderators will be assigned to monitor both onsite and online interactions to ensure that questions and comments from online participants are integrated into the onsite discussion. Both online and onsite speakers will be visible to all participants, and remote speakers will be integrated into panels via screens at the venue. The session layout will be designed to ensure all participants, whether online or onsite, have equal visibility and access to speakers and content. We will ensure that all materials, such as presentations and documents, are accessible in real-time to both onsite and online audiences via the event platform. As in previous events, we plan to utilize tools like Slido or Mentimeter for real-time polling, surveys, and Q&A sessions to increase engagement and allow for instant feedback and interaction across all participant groups.

    Organizers

    🔒European Commission
    Esteve Sanz and Vessela Karloukovska, European Commission, Governments, Europe

    Speakers

    TBC, High Level Representative of the European Union, Government, Europe (on site)
    TBC, Industry Representative, Asia
    TBC, Civil Society Representative, Africa
    TBC, Tech Community Representative, North America
    TBC, Academic Representative, South America

    Onsite Moderator

    Esteve Sanz, European Commission

    Online Moderator

    Vessela Karloukovska, European Commission

    Rapporteur

    Vessela Karloukovska, European Commission

    SDGs

    1. No Poverty
    3. Good Health and Well-Being
    4. Quality Education
    5. Gender Equality
    8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
    9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    9.c
    16.10
    17.16
    17.17


    Targets: The open forum relates to most SDGs as part of the broad effects of future digitization. 1. SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) Target 9.c aims to enhance access to information and communication technology and provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries. This aligns with the workshop’s focus on leveraging Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds to expand digital access. 2. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) Target 16.10 advocates for ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms. The workshop's emphasis on ethical and inclusive governance frameworks for Virtual Worlds supports this target by promoting transparent and accountable digital environments. 3. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) Target 17.16 and 17.17 encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships. The workshop’s collaborative approach to discussing Virtual Worlds governance frameworks exemplifies this, aiming to build partnerships across various stakeholders to address governance in the digital age.