Internet Governance

Would the “Mensch” in the Room Please Stand Up!

Wolfgang Kleinwaechter, in his Internet Governance Outlook 2024, reminded us that 2024, as the years before and future years, will be pivotal for Internet Governance processes. We eagerly await Wolfgang's missives every January, and we trust what we read because we know him, and we trust CircleID. We should be grateful and cherish this example of straightforward, digitally enabled, and trust-based human communication... more

Re-Booting Internet Governance: Resurgence of Ideas and Proposals

Milton Mueller reporting at IGP: At the recently concluded Seoul Conference on Cyberspace, a memo was circulated calling for the creation of a "Commission on the Future of Internet Cooperation." The commission, the confidential memo said, would consist of "civic leaders, ministers, CEOs and technical pioneers." Its purpose will be to "provide new ideas for transnational and multistakeholder proposals for Internet governance." According to the leaked document, the group is supposed to begin work in October and conclude its work with a presentation at the World Economic Forum in January 2014. more

When Neutrality Isn’t Neutral: ICANN, Smart Africa, the “BluePrint” and “CAIGA”

ICANN's role in Smart Africa's governance blueprint highlights a widening divide between legality and legitimacy. Funding and participation occurred without early community consultation, raising concerns about procedural integrity, RIR independence, and the precedent such interventions may set for global Internet governance. more

Massive Changes to the Chinese Tech Industry

It was on the cards. For weeks, Jack Ma, the digital tycoon of China, founder of Ant and of e-commerce giant Alibaba (the Chinese Amazon), disappeared off the radar after he was summoned by the Chinese Government and most likely lectured on the fact that his company was out of step with official Chinese policy. Consequently, the Government levied a multi-billion dollar antitrust fine against Alibaba, deleted its popular web browser from app stores and took several other actions against the company. more

How Trump’s Trade War is Reshaping the Global Internet

In January 2025, President Donald Trump -- now serving his second non-consecutive term -- unveiled a sweeping tariff regime designed to recalibrate America's global trade relationships. Among the measures was a blanket 10% tariff on all imported goods, accompanied by higher, so-called "reciprocal" tariffs targeting specific regions: 20% on EU imports and a dramatic 145% on goods from China. While these heightened rates were temporarily paused on April 9, 2025, for 90 days (excluding China), the 10% baseline tariff remains broadly in effect, symbolizing a shift toward an overtly protectionist economic doctrine. more

ICC Cyber-Enabled Crimes and DNS Abuse: Accountability Questions for Infrastructure Operators

The ICC's new cyber policy reframes Internet infrastructure as crucial to prosecuting atrocities, prompting DNS operators and network providers to grapple with emerging obligations around evidence, neutrality, and cooperation in international justice. more

WSIS+20: A Small Light of Hope in a Darkening Political Landscape

Despite deep geopolitical divides, the WSIS+20 outcome document was adopted by consensus, preserving a multistakeholder vision for the digital future while deferring controversial issues to a time more conducive to progress. more