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Today, I am starting a series of reflections that invite the Internet Governance community to ponder what underlies the labels that define our interactions. We start with the technical community: https://lnkd.in/dubGknas #internetgovernance

In this thought-provoking article, the authors explore the concept of rewilding the internet and how it could transform the way we interact, learn, and thrive in the digital age. Is the current internet monoculture fragile? Is rewilding a viable remedy? https://lnkd.in/gYGZCAR2

Dive into the heart of internet governance – its openness, global essence, and who holds responsibility. Join us in unravelling why this topic is sizzling worldwide, the looming threats to the multi-stakeholder model, and the UK Government's proactive steps. Let's shape the future of the internet together! Register below 👇https://lnkd.in/ezhfFFj5 #InternetGovernance #GlobalDialogue

2024 promises to be another big year for internet governance. In our latest blog we set out auDA’s planned internet governance work and priorities for 2024 as we continue to champion, sustain and improve multi-stakeholder internet governance. Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/gNPveV7h

How did the initial vision of the internet as a democratic tool come to differ so much from the reality we are seeing today? Richard shares his views in the following video clip: https://buff.ly/3BuQQqP — We've all used the terms 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁 and 𝘄𝗲𝗯 interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing—and understanding the difference reveals how we’ve strayed from the original intent of the internet. 🧐 The 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁, developed in the ‘70s and ‘80s, was a 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹, 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 that democratized communication. It was built on the 𝗲𝗻𝗱-𝘁𝗼-𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 (𝗘𝟮𝗘): a simple yet powerful idea where people at the edges of the network (you and me) could communicate directly without interference from central authorities. It moved intelligence to the edges, allowing users to define how they interacted with the network. Think of it as the opposite of the old phone systems, where all the "smarts" were in the middle, dictating how things worked. 🚀 But in the 1990s, everything changed with the creation of the 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗯. The web introduced a 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, meaning we were no longer just peers on the internet but 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 interacting with powerful servers. Over time, this centralized control through the use of 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀 and data tracking, shifting power away from users and into the hands of large corporations. The cloud—often seen as a liberating tool—ironically became another way to centralize control and extract data from users. ☁️🔐 The impact of this power shift became starkly clear during events like the 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, when people initially believed the internet could fuel grassroots movements. However, governments and corporations alike learned to manipulate this new 𝘄𝗲𝗯-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, replicating the data extraction and surveillance methods of tech giants like Google and Facebook. What was once a platform for free expression and peer-to-peer communication had become a surveillance-driven ecosystem. 🕵️♂️📊 Now, many of us find ourselves disempowered, with intermediaries—often unwanted—having control over our digital lives. The web’s infrastructure has enabled governments and corporations to 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹, 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 data on a mass scale, taking away the 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 that the internet originally promised. The solution? It’s time to 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 the spirit of the original internet—where power lies in the hands of users at the edges, not in the centralized core. 💡 We must push for a digital ecosystem where individuals have more control over their data and interactions, and less interference from corporate and governmental surveillance. Let’s return to a world where the 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁 is about 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆—not manipulation. 🔑 — The book is now available on Amazon. Order your copy → https://buff.ly/4gOlxaw #InternetRevolution

Dr. Elke Van dermijnsbrugge: Not sure what I think about this section of this article. But thought it might interest you! “Up close, internet concentration seems too intricate to untangle; from far away, it seems too difficult to deal with. But what if we thought of the internet not as a doomsday “hyperobject,” but as a damaged and struggling ecosystem facing destruction? What if we looked at it not with helpless horror at the eldritch encroachment of its current controllers, but with compassion, constructiveness and hope?” Article about rewilding the internet. https://lnkd.in/eg96kvHV

The world of internet is growing at a pace faster than one could've imagined. How does law keep up with the pace? Read our insights on the issue of use and misuse of free flowing information on Internet and the consequential effects of Digital Piracy.

The Importance of Governance Practices in the Next Generation Internet: It's the People, Stupid! 👇🏽 It´s all about what we are ready to do to build a better world. Thoughts? 🤔 #NGIEvangelists Markus Sabadello Daniel Thompson-Yvetot NGI - The Next Generation Internet https://lnkd.in/dxcE3Q9t