Please add your input in the comments. I’ll compile and forward – David Solomonoff, President, ISOC-NY
At its 13 April meeting in Beijing, the Internet Society Board of Trustees finalized a framework of strategic guidance to help steer the direction and objectives of the organization:
Advance the Internet Society as a leader on Internet policy/governance, technology, and development on a global, regional, and local basis, achieved through:
- Strengthening and defending the open development and evolution of the Internet, including open Internet standards, technology & infrastructure development, deployment and innovation
- Advancing the open, participatory, multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance and policy approaches that support Internet principles and user-centricity
- Bridging the digital divide by growing Internet connectivity and capabilities throughout the world, with special emphasis on developing regions
- Advocating for the open, global Internet for all the world’s people
In addition, the Board also agreed that the overall thrust of ISOC’s current vision, mission, values and principles remain relevant to the organization today and provide a useful grounding for the organization and its strategy going forward.
Process
They are working on an accelerated timeline to meet the objectives and milestones for the strategic and business planning approved by the Board of Trustees. Objectives include to:
- Identify key trends likely to impact the future of the Internet over the next 5-7 years, and possible implications on the Internet Society’s work and mission.
- Identify options for how the Internet Society can deliver the most impact on its mission into the future, including identifying potential gaps, new opportunities and strategic choices for the organization.
- Using the Board Strategic Guidance and these trends as context, define key impacts and related goals for the organization.
- Propose to the Board strategic options and alternatives for achieving key impacts.
- Recommend high-level resource allocations to implement strategic options approved by the Board
- Incorporate robust community consultation into the process.
Where or on what Internet issues and challenges do you believe the Internet Society is having a significant impact? (If possible, stories or examples of how the Internet Society has made a difference would be appreciated.)
Why do you believe the Internet Society has been successful in addressing those issues and challenges? What are the unique attributes, strengths, assets, or capabilities of the Internet Society that have contributed to that success?
Looking 5 – 7 years out into the future, what do you believe will be the issues and challenges that the Internet and the Internet Society will need to address or be prepared for, including in your particular region or location?
What attributes, strengths, assets, or capabilities do you believe the Internet Society will need to be successful in meeting those future challenges?
Are their any other considerations we should take into account moving forward?
5-7 years from now is near term enough that no grand vision is required to be articulated.
There will be far greater access to the internet but also far greater demands from states to control the flow of information. It will be a valid dilemma because increasingly greater use of the net for criminal activities will give enough impetus and rationale for such demands.
At the same time, cloud computing will have expanded to enable even devices like smart phones and tablets to act like small data centers with logical partitions within them.
Helping drive innovation, rights of users, architectural integrity, openness and freedom of access (not always equal to free WiFi 😉 ) will be first essentials for Internet Society to focus on. Balancing the rights of content creators and owners vs the disingenuous “information wants to be free” … (then so does a Ferrari locked in a rich guy’s garage 😉 )… is another topic that will get hotter.
What happens to our data and how much companies can force us to be locked in to their platforms will be another issue that will become more relevant than today.
I am sure there are many more topics we can discuss…
Imran
I agree with Imran. I think the most important issue to deal with these days in industrialized countries is to fight for preserving the openness and ubiquity of Internet access. This complements the role of the Internet Society in helping promoting access to Internet in under-equipped societies. It may clash with short term business interests, and it means that the ability to innovate and attract newcomers is more important than preserving the vested interests of the quasi monopolies that are trying to expand their control. As the ability to perform scientific research and work to adjust to climate change, the right to receive an education, have now become controversial issues, so is the ability to access the Internet and be responsible for our own data. We are not there yet, but, despite the appearances, winning these fights may be the only sustainable way to the future!
Greetings David,
I look forward to being paid staff: coordinating volunteer participation, working to increase our presence and advocating for local issues to present to our global organization. I work diligently blogging technical data to HICAP students and others. The project that I am currently focused on is the iPad Specialty Project. This project will potentially positively impact approximately 5,000 disable handicapped youngsters throughout all five boroughs of New York City, who cannot attend school.
The Internet Society is having a significant impact in attracting brilliant innovators. Personal experience of Internet Society impact is with the Harlem Internet Computer Access Program; which brought Internet access to many individuals allowing them not only to learn about and master their fields of interest; but also, helped them take care of important personal business in a timely manner.
Our success and our biggest asset are our caring membership who identify and address local needs of the disenfranchised worldwide through local chapters and the ISOC founding organizations’ multiple issue driven lobbying.
The future of the Internet should be a user trend driven focus. Because ISOC ARNY has the potential of changing how students throughout the world learn, augmented reality should be included in the future foci of ISOC.
My thoughts:
A sign-up drive will increase membership
Catalog and translate local projects and programs that are being addressed by ISOC
Display the Chapter and accomplishment of worldwide projects, not only with video; blurbs work
ISOC need not spread itself to thinly as to be ineffective
Bringing current projects to fruition should serve everyone very well.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Take care,
Merle Bush
ISOC HICAP