Internet Governance
from traditional telecommunications to the Internet (through VoIP) further reduced the ITU’s ‘regulatory footprint’ on the field of global telecommunications. The possibility that the ITU might have emerged from the WSIS process as the de facto ‘International Internet Organisation’ caused concern in the USA and some developed countries, while garnering support in some developing countries. Throughout WSIS, this possibility created underlying policy tensions. It was particularly clear in the field of Internet governance, where tension between ICANN and the ITU had existed since the establishment of ICANN in 1998. WSIS did not resolve this tension. With the increasing convergence of various communication technologies, it is very likely that the question of the ITU’s more active role in the field of Internet governance will remain on the global policy agenda. Another issue concerned the anchoring of the multidisciplinary WSIS agenda within the family of UN specialised agencies. Non-technical aspects of communications and Internet technology, such as social, economic, and cultural features, are part of the mandate of other UN organisations. The most prominent player in this context is UNESCO, which addresses issues such as multilingualism, cultural diversity, knowledge society, and information sharing. The balance between the ITU and other UN organisations was carefully managed. The WSIS follow-up processes also reflect this balance, with the main players including the ITU, UNESCO, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The technical community The technical community includes institutions and individuals who have developed and promoted the Internet Terminology since its inception. Historically, members of the technical community Other terms are used interchangeably were mainly linked to US universities, with technical community, such as Internet community, Internet where they worked primarily to developers, Internet founders, develop technical standards and Internet fathers, and technologists. establish the basic functionality of the The term technical community is used Internet. The technical community in the WSIS declarations and other also created the initial spirit of the policy documents. Internet, based on the principles of
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