Trilateralism, legitimacy and the Working Group on Internet Governance

Issue title: Internet Governance

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Collins, Richard^a

Affiliations: [a] Media Studies Sociology, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. Tel.: +44 1908652231; E-mail: R.E.Collins@open.ac.uk

Abstract: This discussion paper discusses the WSIS/WGIG processes and more specifically the outcomes of those processes. The two main outcomes of the WSIS/WGIG, the so-called 'Château de Bossey' document from the WGIG and the Tunis agenda for the information society, reflected the stalemate between proponents of the status quo and those who advocated bringing Internet governance (or at least control of the DNS) under the aegis of the ITU. The paper also discusses the 'trilateralism' of the WSIS/WGIG processes – the states, business and civil society. It was clear that the parties reflected differently on the outcomes of the WSIS/WGIG process.

Keywords: WSIS, WGIG, ITU, internet, governance, trilateralism

DOI: 10.3233/IP-2007-0110

Journal: Information Polity, vol. 12, no. 1-2, pp. 15-28, 2007