UN establishes working group on Internet governance

November 2004

The United Nations today formally established a working group to look at spam, cyber-security and other Internet-related issues in preparation for a summit next year in Tunisia.

The Working Group on Internet Governance announced by Secretary-General Kofi Annan will prepare the ground for action on related matters by the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to be held in November 2005 in Tunis.

At the WSIS’s first phase held last December in Geneva, countries asked for the establishment of a Working Group to develop a working definition of Internet governance and to identify the relevant public policy issues.

The panel is also responsible for fostering a common understanding of the roles and responsibilities of governments, international organizations and other forums, as well as the private sector and civil society from both developing and developed countries.