Internet governance

“Has there been a gendered reality to the issues discussed in the previous sessions of the workshop?” was the question posed. “In every single one” was the immediate response. So began Day 4 of the Internet Rules: Unboxing Digital Laws in South Asia workshop.

The Internet Rules: Unboxing Digital Laws in South Asia workshop kicked off on 23 November online, with 26 young digital rights defenders from all over South Asia coming together to learn about internet governance, jurisprudence related to the internet, digital laws, and related concepts.

This document sets out the aspirations of non-state actors engaged in the digital cooperation process concerning the guiding principles, profile, roles and responsibilities, and working methods of the United Nations Technology Envoy to be appointed by the Secretary-General.

The eighth annual AfriSIG will take the form of an online event aimed at strengthening networking among the alumni who have participated in previous editions of the School and giving them the opportunity for deeper engagement in a few key current topics in internet governance in Africa.

The annual Internet Governance Forum, the United Nations’ most significant multistakeholder platform for discussing internet governance, is taking place from 2 to 17 November remotely. Here are some highlights on the participation of APC and its members. 

APC’s view is that global digital cooperation should aim to improve and democratise the governance of the internet at all levels, not only to establish more equitable influence for and among sovereign states, acknowledging that multilateralism and multistakeholderism are mutually reinforcing.

State-mandated internet shutdowns are becoming more frequent as governments use these to quell dissent and silence critics. Can citizens push back against these shutdowns? Do countries in the global South have a legal framework to address and counter internet shutdowns?

This report outlines jurisprudence across the global South on the legality of internet shutdowns. It tackles the growing challenge of government-mandated disruptions of internet access around the world, often under the guise of safeguarding public order and upholding national security interests.