Shaping the Future of the Internet: Six Lessons from Internet Governance Forums
Why Internet Governance Matters
The Internet is central to almost every aspect of modern life, education, healthcare, trade, and civic participation. But who is responsible for managing the Internet as a whole? Who ensures that it stays open, secure, and inclusive?
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a United Nations-convened global platform that brings together governments, civil society, the private sector and technical experts to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet. While the IGF does not make binding laws, its collaborative, multistakeholder approach drives policy influence, builds partnerships and amplifies voices often left out of these conversations.
Building on this model, National, Regional, and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs) adapt the IGF’s approach to their local contexts. These NRIs act as grassroots entry points into global Internet governance, ensuring that local priorities and perspectives feed into international debates.
The Internet Society Foundation supports the organization of these NRIs through its IGF Event sponsorship program, which offers funding for NRIs in all regions of the world. This brief draws on data from 52 applications for sponsorships submitted to the Foundation by NRI organizers between 2024 and 2025, providing insights into the outcomes and contributions of their initiatives to the Internet Governance space.
The findings highlight six areas where IGFs are making a difference.
- Policy Influence and Legislative Engagement
NRIs are helping shape Internet policies by turning open discussions into practical recommendations. In many cases, these dialogues have informed national or regional debates on cybersecurity, inclusion, and online safety. Some NRIs operate across large regions and bring together policymakers, experts, and civil society to share evidence and develop common positions. While they may not directly pass laws, their sessions equip government representatives with new knowledge and perspectives that influence digital policy work back in their countries. This shows how NRIs serve as bridges between public dialogue and formal policy action.
- Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
NRIs remain strong examples of collaborative governance in action. They unite stakeholders from government, the private sector, academia and civil society to co-create sessions and identify shared priorities on Internet issues. Each event builds new partnerships where participants jointly plan and shape discussions, ensuring decisions reflect a balance of views. Some NRIs have even developed regional statements through consensus-based processes on complex topics like data protection and net neutrality.
By engaging directly in global policy consultations and monitoring international developments, NRIs ensure that diverse voices influence Internet governance beyond the local level.
- Capacity Building and Youth Empowerment
NRIs play a vital role in preparing the next generation of Internet leaders. Several have created youth-focused programs that combine online learning, mentorship and hands-on leadership during major events. These initiatives help young participants develop technical understanding and policy engagement skills often leading to future leadership roles in national or regional Internet governance spaces. Many alumni have gone on to organize local IGFs or join policy working groups — demonstrating how NRIs turn capacity building into sustained leadership and influence.
- Inclusion and Accessibility
Inclusion is a core principle guiding NRI activities. Many have made deliberate efforts to ensure participation by women, people living with disabilities, youth, and marginalized groups. By introducing live captioning, multilingual access, and hybrid participation formats, NRIs are reducing barriers and creating more equitable spaces. Some were pioneers in hosting fully virtual events during the pandemic and now maintain high-quality hybrid formats. These practices show that inclusion is not only about representation — it’s also about building systems and skills that enable everyone to meaningfully contribute to Internet governance discussions.
- Regional and International Linkages
NRIs are building stronger bridges between local priorities and global Internet governance processes. Through regional coordination and participation in initiatives like the Global Digital Compact and WSIS+20 review, they help ensure that community perspectives inform global policy debates. They organize stakeholder consultations, submit collective policy inputs and present the outcomes of their regional dialogues in international spaces. This continuous exchange strengthens collaboration and ensures that decisions at higher levels are grounded in local realities.
- Digital Rights and Literacy
NRIs are promoting innovation while advancing digital rights and online safety. Many focus on issues such as cybersecurity, privacy, artificial intelligence and data governance, often using open and participatory methods to explore these topics. Through community-driven agenda setting and transparent processes, NRIs help raise awareness and strengthen understanding of emerging digital challenges. Their commitment to combining innovation with human rights principles ensures that Internet governance evolves in ways that are inclusive, ethical and future-oriented.
Conclusion
Through these collective efforts, NRIs are fostering informed participation, strengthening collaboration, and shaping Internet governance at multiple levels. Their work highlights how locally led initiatives can build capacity, influence policy, and empower communities to engage meaningfully in shaping the digital future.