Since 2005, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has brought governments, tech experts, and communities together to discuss the future of the internet infrastructure through organized open dialogues in various cities to shape digital policy without barriers.
Despite the IGF not legislating or enforcing rules, its neutral role has been the catalyst to many technological advancements, and by encouraging harmony among different stakeholders, the platform has given solutions to internet problems that were multi-dimensional.
Technology Through Dialogue
The IGF is often mistaken for being nothing more than a talking shop, but its multistakeholder internet governance brings together governments, technical expertise, business in one space, and plays a fundamental role in shaping the internet. A new collaborative report, ‘Footprints of 20 Years of the Internet Governance Forum,’ by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Internet Society (ISOC), shows how conversations have been associated with real momentum.
One of the successes is the IXP Internet Exchange Point growth, maintaining local internet traffic within the area, speeding up connections and saving costs. For example, thanks to IGF conversation, Africa had doubled its IXPs within ten years, helping countries such as Kenya save an estimated $1.5 million annually and reduce delays significantly.
Open conversation can achieve technological progress without formalized rules and the IGF has promoted Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), allowing people to access web addresses in their native languages, no longer being bound by an English-dominated system.
Security improvements like the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS), which started with nine network operators and now has over 1,000 members, show how collaboration helps protect the internet from attacks. Similarly, Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), a system that stops fake websites, now covers over 93% of top-level domains due to IGF efforts.
“The internet didn’t stay unified by chance. Its resilience is the result of people and institutions working across borders and sectors,” said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO.
These achievements rely on cooperation, not strict rules.
Thinking Clearly About Multistakeholder Internet Governance
Main area that has been influenced by the IGF is the process of improving and building broadband internet infrastructure worldwide. The forum has been influential in the improvement process of internet infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Progress starts by promoting community-based initiatives and encouraging investment in the best internet infrastructure in the world, enabling more people to enjoy faster and more reliability, closing the digital divide.
As the world stands right now, more countries are developing their internet infrastructure. The IGF remains a valuable platform for information sharing and consensus formation on how to build internet infrastructure responsibly and inclusively.
Is Open Dialogue Enough?
The IGF’s success depends on the ongoing engagement from participants and willingness to act. Without binding rules, building internet infrastructure relies heavily on cooperation and trust. Alone, discussion is perhaps insufficient to address challenges, yet it is certainly a necessity to find answers.
“Its footprint spans infrastructure, security, access, and policy — often in places where conventional governance falls short,” Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society, says.
However, she warns, “The gains we’ve made are only as strong as our commitment to keep investing in them.”
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