Internet Governance

The nature of evolution of the Internet is an important determinant of social change. The Internet is no longer simply a technical platform about which technical experts are best placed to take important decisions. Who then should shape the evolution of the Internet, and how? Users determining the Internet's trajectory is largely a myth, though some remarkable oases of alternative practices amongst committed techies and other 'power users' do exist. To the extent the user has a role, it is in her capacity as a consumer, which capacity is very unequally distributed between affluent and marginalised groups. Largely, it is corporatist and statist powers that are shaping the Internet. We believe that ordinary people and communities must have greater control in shaping the Internet for a future society that is egalitarian. Towards this end, we undertake research, and advocate national and global norms and policies that recognise, and underpin, the Internet as a force for equality and social justice.

RECENT


In collaboration with The Balanced Economy Project and People vs. Big Tech, we at IT for Change are pleased to release a White Paper titled, Beyond Big Tech: A Framework for Building a New and Fair Digital Economy.

The White Paper sets out an initial high-level framework for states, policymakers, civil society, workers, and others to…

IT for Change's Merrin Muhammed Ashraf participated in the virtual consultation convened by the co-facilitators of the Global Digital Compact on 22 August 2024 and delivered a statement on Rev 3.0 GDC on behalf of IT for Change and the Global Digital Justice Forum. The statement flagged some critical gaps in the text of the GDC which must be…

On behalf of IT for Change, Merrin Muhammed Ashraf submitted comments on the recently released UNESCO Consultation Paper on Regulatory Approaches for Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Consultation Paper is part of a broader effort by UNESCO, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Internet Governance Forum’s Parliamentary Track to engage…

On 21 February 2024, Shreeja Sen represented IT for Change and the Global Digital Justice Forum at a virtual consultation, seeking feedback on the Zero draft of the Pact for the Future, which was launched on 26 January 2024. In line with the written submissions, Shreeja's inputs emphasized that digitalization is ubiquitous across sectors, and…

Anita Gurumurthy, Nandini Chami and Amay Korjan from IT for Change, contributed a chapter to a report titled “Future of Global Governance: Perspectives from Global South”. The report was launched by Global Policy Watch ahead of the Summit of the Future to be held on September 22-23 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, with views from…

IT for Change’s Executive Director, Anita Gurumurthy, participated in a roundtable discussion at the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, titled, ‘Unlocking Multistakeholder Cooperation within the UN System: Global Partnerships for Open Internet,’ on 29 May 2024. The roundtable discussion aimed to facilitate a policy conversation and offer…