Session
A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM)
Jordan Carter, auDA
Nick Wenban-Smith, Nominet UK
Jennifer Chung, DotAsia
Jordan Carter
Alishah Shariff
Alishah Shariff
9.1
9.a
9.c
10.2
10.3
16.10
16.6
16.7
16.8
16.a
17.8
17.9
Targets: The SDGs highlighted above, and indeed many others not listed, speak to making technology more accessible, inclusive, equitable and accountable while protecting fundamental freedoms. A free, open, interoperable, secure and resilient Internet is key to achieving many of these SDGs, and a multistakeholder approach is important to delivering the desired outcomes. A multistakeholder approach which brings together the technical community, academia, civil society, governments and the private sector is more likely to deliver reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, particularly in developing countries, in a more equitable way. If done effectively, multistakeholderism empowers individuals globally to take part in discussions on issues which affect them, regardless of geographical location, age, sex, educational background, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or other status. Multistakeholderism is also key to achieving many of the outcomes of SDG 16, building accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, by giving stakeholders a voice and say in decision-making. Part of the TCCM’s agenda is to support the technical community (across a wide range of geographic contexts) to more effectively engage in global processes on Internet governance internationally, regionally and domestically. In this way, and through collaboration across diverse geographic regions, the TCCM supports capacity building on issues related to the Internet.
Roundtable
The event format would be 15 minutes of keynote addresses followed by 15-20 mins of Q&A (both online and in-person questions). This would be followed by 25-30 mins of networking, providing the opportunity for members of the Coalition and wider Internet community to connect. The online equivalent of the networking would consist of a moderated discussion to enable participants to meet one another and discuss contemporary success and challenges of multistakeholderism based on their experience.
A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM) was formed in April 2024 by auDA, CIRA, InternetNZ and Nominet, with a growing membership that represents a group of aligned members of the technical community with a long history of involvement in multistakeholder Internet governance. The TCCM recognises that the technological success of the Internet is the direct result of the multistakeholder approach to internet governance. This approach enables stakeholders to come together on an equal footing to discuss or make decisions about the Internet and to foster its ongoing evolution and expansion. Multistakeholderism fosters a level of diversity, accountability, and transparency that cannot be replicated in intergovernmental environments alone, and ensures decision-making about the Internet and its governance are not led by individual nation-based political interests.
Protecting the multistakeholder model of Internet governance for the years to come is of crucial importance, particularly in the current period of critical decision-making at the UN across 2024 and 2025. Ensuring the inclusion of the technical community, on an equal footing with other stakeholders, as a key voice in Internet governance, continuing to strengthen the multistakeholder model, and a renewed mandate for the IGF are priorities for us. The TCCM therefore aims to defend, evolve and strengthen multistakeholderism in decision-making and dialogues about the Internet and digital policy processes. This event will look to formally launch the TCCM in the global setting of UN IGF. It will provide an opportunity to reflect on some of the successes to date (for example the TCCM’s contribution to shaping the Global Digital Compact) and the challenges that lie ahead (including the upcoming WSIS+20 review) and ways we can work together to evolve and strengthen the multistakeholder approach.
The event will consist of a presentation and Q&A, followed by the opportunity to network for in-person participants and a facilitated discussion for virtual participants.
Report
A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM) provides a resource for aligned members of the technical community to stay informed of - and develop views and joint positions on - internet governance dialogues and processes, including the upcoming WSIS+20 process.
A TCCM does some of the heavy lifting for smaller technical operators through facilitating information exchange and development of joint positions for greater impact. TCCM statements work on the basis of an opt-in model, recognising that member organisations can have different viewpoints and allowing for that diversity,
Now is the time for the technical community and other stakeholders to mobilise and contribute to the WSIS+20 process. Waiting for the appointment of the Co-Facilitators and circulation of a zero draft will be too late.
If you are a ccTLD, gTLD, regional TLD group, registrar or national or regional registry for internet numbers, you can join the TCCM as a member. Aligned members of the technical community who do not fall within these categories can join as a supporter. In both cases, please visit https://www.tccm.global/contact/ to get in touch.
Slides from the event, which summarise the main session content, can be found here: TCCM launch event at IGF 2024 – TCCM
Some key points raised during the presentation were as follows:
- The TCCM had grown to 28 members (correct at the time of IGF 2024), who were technical operators (ccTLDs, gTLDs and RIRs) from different geographical regions.
- The TCCM supported smaller technical operators in staying informed of key global internet governance processes and by helping develop joint positions for greater impact.
- It had been positive to see growing recognition of the TCCM's work from the technical community, governments, ICANN and other interested stakeholders.
- Looking ahead to 2025, the TCCM was keen to leverage its membership and the wider community to continue to defend, evolve and strengthen multistakeholderism. It was currently working through its approach to the WSIS+20 Review, following initial inputs from TCCM Members at a Day Zero event at ICANN81. High-level working objectives for this approach can be found in the slide deck (see slide entitled 'Working approach to WSIS+20 review'.
During the discussion that followed the presentation, audience members raised the following questions and points:
- A TCCM had become a useful mechanism for coordinating and uniting members of the technical community to discuss internet governance issues which will have an impact on how it operates now and in future. This was particularly useful for smaller operators who were not resourced to follow all the lines of discussion on internet governance matters.
- One stakeholder asked what TCCM's agenda for improving the IGF was. The response was that TCCM would consult its members on this, but that some initial ideas were around sustainable resourcing and how to improve participation.
- One stakeholder asked what the TCCM position on dealing with Web 3.0 was and potential fragmentation was. TCCM had not yet considered this matter specifically, but was keen to ensure that the perspectives of technical operators would be taken into account through supporting the multistakeholder model and enabling the technical community to have a seat at the table.
- One stakeholder asked if TCCM's existence would risk leading to lower participation from the technical community at IGF and NRIs, given participation from this group was already low and participation could drop further if a separate group was formed. TCCM said that its activities were and would continue to be integrated with national and regional IGFs and that it was looking to contribute to strengthening that ecosystem.
- TCCM also affirmed that it currently operated via an opt-in model for joint statements, allowing technical community operators the choice of opting-in to things they supported as opposed to every statement. Difference of views and opinion was respected by the current operating model.