The Internet Governance Forum facilitated by the United Nations in Hyderabad, India, Dec. 3-6, 2008, was the third in a series of five planned global events. It attracted stakeholders from all walks of life who gathered to discuss issues tied to the future of information and communications technologies.
This web page offers links to more than 100 video clips and dozens of links to PDFs and other information derived from the UN’s official reporting from the third meeting of the IGF. The video was recorded in the United States as image captures from the live webcasts that took place during IGF 2008. Representative portions of a few key sessions were captured; while the video content on this site includes valuable documentation of the event, it does not represent a complete picture of IGF 2008 highlights. The Forum was expected to include as many as 2,000 participants, but violence in Mumbai just days before caused some people to change their travel plans. An estimated 1,300 participated in more than 40 panel discussions and workshops.
Daily IGF-Hyderabad Events
December 3, 2008 – REACHING THE NEXT BILLION(s)- Each day there were two morning panels tied to the primary theme for the day. The themes on Day One of IGF 2008 were “Realizing a Multilingual Internet” and “Access.” The internationalization of standards and processes is a work in progress, as most software, hardware and content is still rooted in English. People must be able to send and receive content in their native language. Software, including manuals and training must be localized to meet local needs. The domain name system must be internationalized. Improving access to the Internet is a matter of supply, demand and development, so these three areas were covered in selection of panelists for the “Access” session. No video of this first day’s events is available.
PDFs
Opening Ceremony PDF
Opening Session PDF
Realizing a Multilingual Internet session PDF
Access session PDF
Day One Open Dialogue (afternoon open-mic session) PDF
IGF 08 Day One Highlights PDF
December 4, 2008 – PROMOTING TRUST AND CYBERSECURITY – The first panel of Day Two of IGF 2008 was “Dimensions of Cybersecurity and Cybercrime” and the second was “Fostering Security, Privacy and Openness.” The panels mapped out categories of online threats, illegitimate behaviors and attacks and also described the existing groups that are addressing these issues. They reviewed some of the activities, cooperative arrangements, resources, and tools now in use to combat crime and security problems on the Internet. They also addressed potential future directions in regard to legal contexts, prevention and forensics. Members of the panels will also discuss the tension between security, privacy and openness.
PDFs
Cybersecurity & Cybercrime session PDF
Security, Privacy & Openness PDF
Day Two Open Dialogue
IGF 08 Day Two Highlights PDF
Video
> Video clips from Day Two Open Dialogue
> Video clips from session on the Evolution of the Root Server System
December 5, 2008 – MANAGING CRITICAL INTERNET RESOURCES – The first panel of Day Three of IGF 2008 was “Transition from IPv4 to IPv6” and the second was “Arrangements for Internet Governance.” Critical Internet Resources encompass the Internet infrastructure (the actual physical structure, routers, hardware and software that make it work) and the management of key Internet resources, including administration of the domain name system and Internet protocol (IP) addresses, administration of the root server system, technical standards and peering and interconnection. Conflicts over control of the architecture of the Internet that arise due to its international and cross-border nature were a driving factor behind the founding of the World Summit on the Information Society in the early years of the 21st century. Public policy issues and the management of the technical components of the Internet are generally inseparable.
PDFs
Transition from IPv4 to IPv6 PDF
Arrangements for Internet Governance PDF
Day Three Open Dialogue PDF
IGF 08 Day Three Highlights PDF
Video
> Video clips from panel on transition from IPv4 to IPv6
> Video clips from the Critical Internet Resources dialogue
December 6, 2008 – EMERGING ISSUES and THE WAY FORWARD – The first panel of the final day of IGF 2008 was devoted to “Emerging Issues” and the second was titled “Taking Stock and the Way Forward.” People familiar with politics and the UN are aware that this global organization has focused attention across many of its initiatives on developing the idea and the ideal of enhanced cooperation. The people discussing the topic at IGF-Hyderabad were also taking note of the other global discussions now taking place surrounding this topic. They were trying to figure out how they should proceed in order to prepare for the next IGF – in Egypt in 2009 – and thereafter, as the mandate to hold these meetings concludes as of the session in Lithuania in 2010 unless there is an extension.
PDFs
Emerging Issues PDF
Taking Stock and the Way Forward PDF
Closing Ceremony PDF
IGF 08 Day Four Highlights PDF
Video
> Video clips from the Day 4 discussion of Emerging Issues
> Video clips from session-end reports on governance efforts
> Video clips from a session titled Role and Mandate of IGF
> Video clips from the Taking Stock and the Way Forward session at the conclusion of the day, including the official closing session
Related documents of interest
Chairman’s summary of IGF India 2008 PDF
IGF Secretariat’s 2008 meeting preparatory summary PDF
Article about IT for Change document on corporatization and proprietization of the Internet
Assessment of IGF by Jeremy Malcolm, presented by the Internet Governance Project, PDF
More than 40 panel discussions and workshops were held at IGF 2008 on numerous related issues, such as Internet accessibility for people with disabilities; freedom of expression in cyberspace; online privacy; mainstreaming human rights in the work of the IGF; effective digital education; Internet as a goal of national information policy; public participation in Internet governance; child protection; global measures to fight cybercrime; and environmental sustainability of the Internet.
Best-practice forums concentrated on child online protection; international cooperation against cyber-crime; Internet governance capacity building; delivering public service and innovation; equal access and equal opportunity; and self-regulatory approaches to data security and privacy.
Several initiatives emerged from the Forum’s two previous meetings in the form of “Dynamic Coalitions” – partnerships dealing with specific issues. In Hyderabad, Dynamic Coalition meetings covered accessibility and disability, child online safety, access to knowledge, linguistic diversity, freedom of expression and the media, privacy and an “Internet Bill of Rights.”
The Internet Governance Forum is an outcome of the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in 2005. In the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, governments asked the United Nations Secretary-General to convene a new forum for policy dialogue to discuss issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the Internet’s sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development.
The Forum will hold its 2009 session in Egypt. The 2010 session is slated for Lithuania.
To find out more about IGF and see details on upcoming activities, click here.