Proposal by Joanna Kulesza
Title: Shifting Paradigms: Multistakeholderism, Geopolitics, International Law, and New Internet Infrastructures
Duration: 90 minutes
Session Type: Whole Community Session (Joint ALAC/GAC Session)
Objective:
This session aims to explore the intersections of geopolitics, international law, and emerging internet infrastructures. Key topics include the reshaping of the multistakeholder model, implications for new internet infrastructures such as those in outer space, interplanetary internet, and data governance. The discussion will reference the 2024 United States International Cyberspace & Digital Policy Strategy, EU's GDPR, the AI Act, and NIS2.
Speakers:
- Vint Cerf, Internet Pioneer
- León Sánchez, ICANN Board Member
Laura DeNardis, CIGI senior fellow and professor and endowed Chair in Technology, Ethics, and Society at Georgetown University
- Susan Chalmers, Internet Policy Specialist, US Department of Commerce, NTIA
Berna Akçalı Gür, Lecturer in Outer Space Law, CCLS Queen Mary University of London, Associate Research Fellow at UNU-CRIS Digital Cluster
John Crain, ICANN SVP & Chief Technology Officer
Moderator: Joanna Kulesza, ALAC Liaison to the GAC
Session Structure:
1. Introduction by Moderator (5 minutes)
- Overview of session objectives and structure
- Introduction of speakers
2. Speaker Interventions (10 minutes each) (tbc)
Vint Cerf: "The Future of Internet Infrastructure: Interplanetary Internet and Beyond" Discussing the technical and governance challenges of extending internet infrastructure to outer space.
Laura DeNardis: "Geopolitics and the Internet: Balancing Sovereignty and Global Connectivity" Examining how geopolitical tensions influence global internet governance and infrastructure development.
Leon Sanchez: "End User Perspective on the Changing Face of Multistakeholderism" Discussing the evolving multistakeholder model from the perspective of end users and its impact on internet governance.
Susan Chalmers: "The 2024 United States International Cyberspace & Digital Policy Strategy and Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace" Analyzing the key elements of the US Cyberspace Strategy 2024 and its implications for global internet governance and infrastructure.
Berna Akçalı Gür: "International Law in the Age of Outer Space and Digital Infrastructure Governance" Addressing the implications of international law on internet infrastructure, with a focus on space law and EU data governance frameworks.
John Crain: "Technical Innovations and Their Impact on Internet Governance" Discussing the latest technical innovations and their potential impacts on internet governance and infrastructure (if any).
3. Discussion Segment (20 minutes)
-Scoping Questions:
1. How should the multistakeholder model evolve to accommodate new internet infrastructures, including those in outer space?
2. What are the primary governance challenges posed by the development of an interplanetary internet?
3. How do existing regulatory frameworks like GDPR, the AI Act, and NIS2 address the challenges and opportunities presented by new internet infrastructures?
- Open floor for audience questions and panel responses
4. Conclusion and Closing Remarks by Moderator (5 minutes)
- Summary of key points discussed
- Final thoughts from each speaker
- Closing the session
Expected Outcomes:
- A comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by new internet infrastructures and the regulatory shift towards them - MSM implications.
- Insight into how existing regulatory frameworks, including the MSM, can adapt to these emerging technologies.
- Enhanced dialogue among stakeholders on the future of multistakeholder Internet governance.
Target Audience:
This session is crucial for end users, regulators, policymakers, technologists, legal experts, academics, and other stakeholders in the Internet governance community. It emphasizes the link between infrastructure governance and data management from the end user perspective, highlighting the importance of user-centric approaches in shaping the future of internet infrastructures.
