The Evolution of Internet is more than what could be described, from the small room to the global revolution internet today is the process of Human adoption and innovation. It dynamic and growing where technology is evolving every second adapting the uses and need.
The number of internet users has increased tenfold from 1999 to 2013.
The first billion was reached in 2005. The second billion in 2010. The third billion in 2014.
The chart and table below show the number of global internet users per year since 1993
Internet Governance: Internet Governance(IG) is the overall process of managing and establishing an effective connection in between the various aspect of management and operation among various elements of internet ecosystems in the most effective and efficient way.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a dynamic approach which gives opportunities to multi-stakeholders in overcoming the various aspects of net neutrality and the digital divide. It also helps in further accessing to establish a uniform mechanism addressing the needs of all the stakeholders from developed countries to developing and underdeveloped countries. Especially the vacuum between the developed and developing /underdeveloped countries needs a certain platform which would address their problems and issues. It would further help in highlighting the corporate or social responsibility prioritizing the rights of information access by completely abolishing discrimination. I strongly believe that IGF is an effective tool which needs to be reviewed as a weapon against irregularities and externalities where the developed nation should endorse it for future growth and prospects.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF):
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is an open platform to discuss the internet governance process and issues relating to various practice and development around the globe. It further forwards its obligations for the intergovernmental process as mandated by the WSIS. From the past few years, the IGF has been lobbied as a platform of multistakeholder concept where the participation and contribution from the developing economies have increased tremendously which needs to grow at a steady pace. The major hurdle I see in overall IGF process are
1. How to Increase Participation
2. Expansion of regional IGF
3. Internet politics and leadership
4. Capacity building and policy making
5. Survey and research
6. Standardization
7. Communication
Advantages of IGF
- A board platform to address issues and problems
- A standard policy and mechanism to address the problems of world over
- Control over digital divide and net neutrality
- No bias system
- Equal opportunity of business and exposure
- Bilateral relationship
- Effectiveness in growth and monitoring of internet
- Issue like pornography, cyber crimes, hacking and exploitation can be easily overcome
- Better security policies
Disadvantages of IGF
- Hard to control and monitor due to number of countries
- Hard for developing and underdeveloped to keep up with developed countries in terms of technology and manpower
- Standard policies mean competition which would be hard for underdeveloped and developing countries
