Internet Governance: The Internet at the crossroads of technology, politics, law and business

Wolfgang Kleinwächter
Adjunct Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication
Expert of the UN Internet Governance Forum

Yrjö Länsipuro
ISOC Finland
Information society policy coordinator, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 2005-2009

Jonne Soininen
Head of Internet Affairs, Nokia-Siemens Networks
Technical liaison group representative on the ICANN Board, 2009-2010

Moderator:  Professor Taisto Hujanen, School of Communication, Media and Theatre

According to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Internet Governance means "the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet." (www.itu.int/wsis) Politically, Internet Governance was the most controversial subject at the WSIS. While the Tunis Summit in 2005 was able to agree on a number of recommendations concerning Internet Governance, it left open - or papered over- many difficult Internet-related issues that have been debated on various fora ever since with a growing urgency. The lecturers have been and are active participants of this debate. From their respective vantage points, they will give their views on the state of Internet Governance now and on where it is heading.