One of the most extraordinary outcomes of the digital revolution is that multi-stakeholder networks, rather than state-based institutions now govern important global resources. These Governance Networks (One of the 10 types of Global Solution Networks) are beginning to address the coordination and even management of critical resources like forests and water. Some are more effective than others.
One of the most important is the Internet itself, which is curated, orchestrated and otherwise governed by an unthinkable collection of individuals, civil society organizations and corporations, with the tacit and in some cases active support of nation states. But no government, country, corporation or state-based institution controls it.
There are many monumental issues for the Internet Governance Network to manage such as network reliability, security, privacy, access, intellectual property, appropriateness of content, neutrality, identity, fraud, and spam – to name a few. Extraordinarily it works and has become one of the most effective governance systems in the world and in doing so achieving legitimacy, inclusiveness, and consensus-oriented decision making. I’m pumped to be working with Lynn St. Amour (president of the Internet Society) and some other special people (including Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee and Steve Caswell) on understanding this ecosystem, what makes it tick, and the implications for governing other resources on the planet in a new way!
