Topic: Internet governance and digital policy

Internet governance, also referred to as digital policy, deals with the policy issues associated with digital technology.  
Diplo has been providing capacity development support for many years. This includes online and blended courses, policy research, policy immersion, and community support. Since many small and developing countries have limited resources and institutional capacity in this sector, Diplo provides special assistance to practitioners from these countries.
What is internet governance?
Internet governance refers to the shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. Governments, the private sector, and civil society each contribute to developing these principles, rules, and processes, in their respective roles. (WGIG, 2015)
Although internet governance deals with the core of the digital world, the digital-binary logic of true and false, or good and bad, is inadequate when talking about technology. Instead, there are many subtleties and shades of meaning and perception. In order to shape and engage in internet governance, practitioners require an analogue approach. Such approach needs to cover a continuum of options and compromises.
The book An Introduction to Internet Governance (7th ed.), by Dr Jovan Kurbalija, needs no introduction. In fact, today it is one of the most widely-used books by digital policy professionals and across universities. It has also been translated into 10 languages.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of the main issues and actors in the field through a practical framework for analysis, discussion, and resolution of significant issues.
Download the latest edition, or any of the translated versions.

[Diplo] Policy Meets Tech #3: Cryptography

By: DiploFoundation;

Event description

Event date: 24 January 2024, 13:00–16:00 CET

The third event in the ‘Policy meets tech’ series will be dedicated to cryptography. It will focus on unpacking cryptographic technology and discussing its policy implications.

The series is organised by Diplo, with the support of the US Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, and is dedicated to permanent missions in Geneva. This programme features a series of informative sessions for diplomats in Geneva, with the primary goals of demystifying the intricate realm of digital technologies, comprehending their capabilities and limitations, and delving into their policy implications in a manner that is both practical and pertinent for diplomats. From the intricacies of internet protocols to the intricacies of quantum computing, from cryptography to algorithms, these discussions will provide in-depth insights into the technical underpinnings of these technologies, their real-world applications, and the policy opportunities and challenges they present.

The event is only open to permanent missions in Geneva. For details, please contact Ms Sorina Teleanu, Director of Knoweldge, at geneva@diplomacy.edu.

Fondation ICT 4 Peace

Trustworthy Data Spaces: A Dialogue Between North and South (WTO Public Forum 2022)

Event description

Date: Thursday, 29th September, 15:45–17:00 CEST

Location: Room D, World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva

Although data is non-rivalrous, data controllers have the capacity to restrict access to data for a myriad of reasons, such as protecting privacy, intellectual property, or to maintain a competitive edge.

At present, there are insufficient incentives for data to be shared by data controllers, and insufficient obligations for them to fulfil the social value of data.

This session will address data sharing and data flows from national and international perspectives. It aims to establish a bridge between proposals advanced by actors in the Global North and in the Global South, such as Switzerland’s proposal of trustworthy data spaces, Japan’s proposal of data free flows with trust and India’s notion of community data.

Participants will discuss how these different proposals could contribute to promoting a more equal distribution of benefits in the data economy and to shed light on current negotiations on data flows taking place at the WTO.

This event, which is part of the WTO’s Public Forum 2022, is being organised by Diplo, the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), and the Geneva Internet Platform.

Moderator: Marilia Maciel (Head, Digital Commerce and Internet Policy, Diplo)

Panellists:

  • Andrin Eichin (Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM))
  • Torbjörn Fredriksson (Head, E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD))
  • Simon J. Evenett (Professor of International Trade and Economic Development, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland)
  • Parminder Jeet Singh (Executive Director, IT for Change)

For more information about the WTO Public Forum 2022, visit the official page.

ICT 4 Peace Foundation

[Webinar] Human-centered AI for dangerous mental health behaviors online

By: International Telecommunication Union;

Event recording

Event description

Event date: 6 July 2022, 17:00–18:30 CEST

This AI for Good Discovery event will discuss the building of human- and community-centred AI tools to handle dangerous mental health behaviours online such as suicide crisis, self-injury, and disordered eating behaviours. Dr Stevie Chancellor will expound on the technicalities of such tools and the necessary lab settings.

For more information, and to register, please visit the official page.

[Webinar] Data Interoperability: The benefits for the Land Administration sector

By: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe;

Event description

Event date: 24 June 2022, 10:00–12:00 CEST

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is hosting a webinar with experts from land administration and management to explore the opportunities and challenges of increasing data operability in this field. The session will shed light on the FAIR Data Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), and will feature case studies from the United Kingdom.

For more information, and to register, please visit the official page.

[Webinar] The digitalisation of education and its impact on the right to education

Event description

Event date: 24 June 2022, 13:00–14:30 CEST

The Network for International Policies and Cooperation in Education and Training (NORRAG) and the UN special rapporteur on the right to education jointly organised an online side event for the 2022 Human Rights Council to launch the special rapporteur’s report on the digitalisation of education. The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted the digitalisation of education, which unleashed unprecedented impacts on the right to education, the education system, as well as nations and communities. A multidisciplinary panel will discuss the protection of children’s rights, forms of privatisation and their impact, the use of data and datafication, and ‘digital divides’ and diversity.

For more information, and to register, please visit the official page.

[Talk] Disinformation in Time of Crisis: How Should Governments and Civil Society React?

By: Geneva Centre for Security Policy;

Event description

Event date: 23 June 2022, 12:30–14:00 CEST

The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) will host a discussion session for alumni and the general public to tackle questions that widespread disinformation campaigns have posed at governmental institutions and civil society groups.

For more information, and to register, please visit the official page.