ICCG Main Concepts Flashcards
What are some central governance principles of the early internet?
Cooperative
Consensus-Based
Multi-Stakeholder Approach
Governance of the Internet has expanded drastically since 1990s
Overlap and fragmentation
*In governance approaches
*Across layers, policy areas, sectors
*Between actors, countries, institutions
Renewed discussion on universal Internet values
Does not prevent aggressive state and corporate behavior
What are the layers of Digital Governance?
Economic and Societal Layer: trade, IoT, healthcare, finance, PS, | Actors: IGF, WEF, Govs, Private
Logical Layer: Root services, IP Addresses, Domain names | ICANN
Infrastructure Layer: Internet Exchange Points, Satellites, subsea | ITU, Network Operators
How can Internet Governance be defined?
Internet Governance is the management and regulation of the internet, including its technical, economic, social, and political aspects, by a diverse group of stakeholders. The aim is to ensure stability, security, and accessibility of the internet while fostering innovation.
Broader than Legislation, regulation, networked, public/private
Heterarchy
Shaping of tech vs. Shaping through tech
Denardis: “Distributed and Networked multistakeholder governance, involving traditional public authorities and international agreements, new institutions, and information governance functions enacted via private ordering and arragements of technical architecture”
What are the five features of Global Governance by Denardis?
1- Arrangements of technical architecture as arrangements of power
* Tech is not neutral,
* Link to Lessig’s shaping of tech
2- Internet Governance infrastructure as a proxy for content control
* Traditional actors losing control over info
*
3- Privatisation of internet governance
4- Internet control points as sites of global conflict over competing values
5- Regional geopolitics vs. collective action problems of internet globalisation
What is the ITU and the ITU conference?
A UN Agency managing the international radio frequency spectrum, Maintaining standards for telecom services, and ensuring access to ICT for the developing world
Challenges: Emergence of digital tech, telecom market liberalisation, ITU mandate outdated due to convergence, new actors in policy hijacking roles (WTO, EC, etc.)
World Conference on International Telecom 2012 - ITU - Dubai
Goal: Review and revise the IT Regulations updated in 1988
Treaty complementing the ITU constitution and Convention, entered into force in 2015
Some parts controversial: Right of Access, Security and Robustness of Networks, Unsolicited Bulk Electronic Communications, Fostering enabling environment for the internet
Outcomes:
“The United States on Thursday slammed the treaty saying that the proposed text opened the door to government regulation of the Internet.”
Fears of surveillance and censorship: Gov takeover of the internet
55 countries did not sign (US, EU)
89 countries signed (China, Russia,
What is the Internet Governance Forum?
A UN-mandated forum: since 2006, yearly, 4 days, mix approaches
Organisational Structure: (not essential)
Govs feel it’s a talk shop, no negotiated outcomes
outcome would be lowest common denominator
Not enough for some, too much for others,
No written outcomes, no accountability
UN towards IGF+:
Gaps: Low priority for digital cooperation, lack of inclusion, policymaking fragmentation, lack of data, lack of trust
Goals: universal connectivity 2030, digital public good, digital inclusion, capacity building, human rights protection, trustworthy AI, digital trust and security, better digital coop architecture
What is ICANN?
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Responsible for the unique assignment of names and numbers, domain name system, policies for top domain names
1998, CA, non profit, multistakeholder body.
Mission: Ensuring the stable and secure operation of the internet’s unique identifiers systems
What is the definition of Disinformation and how does it work?
EU: Disinformation is false or misleading info aimed for economic gain, or to intentionally deceive the public and may cause public harm
Many definitions, so each platforrm uses its own understanding -> no consistency in enforcement, transparency or appeal
How it works:
Grievances: motivated or affective polarisation
Information gaslighting
Incidental exposure
Vicious cycle
Regulation:
2007: Baltic States in response to Russian disinfo
2016-17: Brexit, Trump, Cambridge Analytica
2020+: EU regulations
Challenges:
heavy involvement of private companies, different definitions, different levels of enforcement
How is Freedom of Expression Ensured?
Art19 UNHR: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart info and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.
Any restriction to freedom of expression must be:
Privided by law
Proven necessary to a legitimate purpose
Time limit if justified as emergency
What are the 4 types of response towards disinformation?
*Identification: Monitoring, Fact-check, investigation
*Producers and distributors: Legislation, policy, disinformation campaigns, electoral
*Production+Distribution Mechanisms: Curation, technical and algorithmic, de-monetisation
*Target Audiences of Disinformation: Ethical and normative, educational, empowerment and credibility
Recommendations:
*Greater platform accountability
*More democratic oversight
*Measurable content moderation policies
*Users empowerment
What is AI, AI stages, types of machine learning, and blackbox problem?
AI: system’s ability to interpret external data correctly, to learn from data, and to use the learning to achieve specific goals and tasks through adaptation
Technical artifacts+Human agents+artificial agents+institutional norms and tech norms
Stages of AI: Narrow -> General -> Super AI
Types of Machine Learning: Supervised, Unsupervised, Reinforced
The blackbox problem: AI models have internal processes highly complex and inscrutable preventing us from retracing their reasoning process
Fairness and Explainability and Resposibility in AI
Fairness: Justice, diversity, inclusiveness, public benefit, no discrimination, bias problem
Explainability: Ability to explain the tech process and the human decisions related to AI. Accuracy vs. explainability of the AI decisions
Responsibility: Human responsibility is related to agency, cannot demand AI, AI not a moral agent, human is. Responsibility gap, accountability, people affected have the right to demand explaination. Tech explainability not always sufficient, domain knowledge is needed
What are the main Ethical aspects in AI?
Ethics of technology
Ethical values
Ethical issues of emerging tech
Freedom of speech vs. misinformation
Different morality standards
Ethics vs. Law (Biases, black boxes, right to be forgotten, legal basis)
What is the AI Act?
Part of the Digital Single Market, risk-based approach,
Ethical Principles:
*Human Agency
*tech robustness and safety
*Privacy and data governance
*Transparency
*Diversity, non-discrimination
*Societal and environmental well-being
*Accountability
Prohibited Practices: Social scoring, dark patterns, manipulation, real time biometric monitoring.
Social Media:
AI Act sees Social Media as low-risk, not impacting humans in critical scenarios: Not True, but hard to measure
AI is a key aspect of social media platforms power in society
Users increasingly face an AI
What are the 5 motives for Gov Intervention?
Politics and Power
Social Norms and Morals
Security concerns
Economic Concerns
Internet Tools
