In today’s world, nearly every aspect of our lives—from communication and commerce to education and healthcare—is shaped by the Internet. But who ensures that the Internet remains open, secure, and inclusive for everyone? One of the key platforms leading this charge is the IGF.
What Is the IGF?
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a United Nations (UN) initiative that serves as a global multistakeholder platform for dialogue on public policy issues related to the Internet. It brings together governments, the private sector, civil society, and the technical community to explore solutions and inform policymaking without producing binding decisions.
For two decades, the IGF has helped drive tangible progress in the development and implementation of decisions supporting the Internet’s evolution. As a year-round, multistakeholder process, the IGF addresses a broad spectrum of Internet development issues from cybersecurity and meaningful access to data privacy, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
Why the IGF is Vital
The IGF’s multistakeholder model is essential to effective Internet governance. It enables diverse actors to collaborate, share perspectives, and build consensus around digital policy. As a central node in the global Internet ecosystem, the IGF amplifies voices that might go unheard, especially from underrepresented regions like the Global South.
Its impact is both direct and indirect:
- Directly, the IGF has inspired the growth of local initiatives that deliver tangible impact, such as Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), advanced community connectivity, and helped cultivate the next generation of digital leaders.
- Indirectly, it continues to inform the deliberations about pressing issues such as online harms and digital rights, while sustaining long-term focus areas like Internet access and human rights. Notably, it played a key role in enabling the transition of the IANA functions—a major milestone in Internet governance.
The IGF model has also inspired more than 165 National, Regional, and Youth Initiatives (NRIs), which provide essential local and grassroots perspectives on Internet governance.
Supporting IGF Initiatives Around the World
By investing in IGF initiatives, the Internet Society Foundation helps communities everywhere engage in shaping the Internet’s future—one that is accessible to all. As a vital space for dialogue and exchange, the IGF continues to play a transformative role in global Internet development. Its ability to convene a broad range of voices makes it a cornerstone in the quest for a more inclusive digital world.
The Internet Society at the IGF
The Internet Society highlights on its website that it participates in the IGF to help safeguard the Internet’s future by protecting what makes it unique: an open, collaborative model that has enabled its growth and success. The organization also engages in the IGF activities to continue advancing its mission to connect the billions who remain offline, provide decision-makers with informed guidance through a strengthened multistakeholder governance model, and empower new generations of Internet champions.
Learn the activities where the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation are participating: https://www.internetsociety.org/events/igf/2025/our-activities/