POTENTIAL MODELS OF INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND ARMENIA’S APPROACHES

27.04.2015

POTENTIAL MODELS OF INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND ARMENIA’S APPROACHES

Samvel Martirosyan
Expert of the Information Centre of the Noravank Foundation

The matters of internet governance are among the most complicated problems today, as quite often there are no ready solutions to them.

There are several internet governance models today. One of them is complete state monopoly over internet, whereby the government ignores the opinions of other stakeholders in the society. This approach is currently gaining foothold in many countries: China adheres to this approach.

A totally opposite pole of this approach is complete absence of any regulation, when emerging problems are attempted to solve through existing legislation, which however, addresses real life issues. These approaches gradually fade away, because internet creates, for instance, trans-border problems that simply cannot be solved through traditional methods.

Another approach is the so-called Mul¬ti¬s¬take¬hol¬der Model, which implies cooperation between all stakeholders and working mechanisms for that. This refers to cooperation between governments, civil society, businesses, academic and technology communities. For example, such model is used for governance of the internet domain name registration¹. There is also Internet Go¬ver¬¬nance Forum (IGF)². Brazil is considered a country that has achieved most success in the type of governance³. Such governance model allows comprehensive discussion of issues and finding solutions acceptable to all stakeholders. On the other hand, adopting this model requires the government to relinquish some of its leverages for the sake of common good.

The Republic of Armenia government has adopted an important document for internet development in August 2014, which should facilitate balanced solutions for the internet-related problems in the country. It is the Government Decree on Approving the Principles of Internet Governance. This decree introduces serious changes in internet governance, perception of changes occurring in the internet and relevant decision-making.

In fact, the government of Armenia undertook a serious step by bringing the internet governance problems to an open format. According to the decree, a platform is created to discuss and find solutions for all issues related to internet. This platform is a basis for Mul¬ti¬s¬take¬hol¬der Model of internet governance, which provides an opportunity to balance out often contradictory perceptions and approaches of the stakeholders.

For Armenia this a newly emerging model that still has to prove its sustainability. On the other hand, the stakeholders have already reached an agreement regarding the main clauses around which decision are to be made.

The main objectives of internet governance in Armenia are as follows:

support the development of the word-wide web and create conditions for frequent and accessible contacts for our compatriots and organizations, regardless of their place of residence and nature of activities, by making use of quality internet services, computer and mobile devices, smartphones, IP audio and video communication;
contribute to our society’s participation in creation of global information databases in line with our distinct culture, overcoming the language barriers, and ease of making use of innovations and information databases;
assist in creation of a knowledge-based society, gaining our own unique place and role in modern global developments to properly present our cultural values, forming a unified national information space in the internet (with a common system of materials classification, search, guides and references) ahead of the Armenian Genocide 100th anniversary commemoration;
facilitate establishment of the modern “electronic” information society in Armenia.

For internet governance n Republic of Armenia it also necessary to form:

an internet regulation and governance council of Armenia that would consist of stakeholders, including representatives from Armenian government, Public Council, NGOs and businesses, which would present the viewpoints, approaches and stances of the Republic of Armenia at Global Commission on Internet Governance and other international bodies;
the main principles of internet governance that would reflect the specificities in Armenia and the best international practices,
Armenia’s standpoint with regard to documents developed and adopted in result of the global internet governance conferences.

It is also necessary to:

facilitate cooperation with inter-state and international internet governance organizations, as well as regional unions and other organizations related to this area;
ensure balanced participation of NGOs. private sector and government agencies;
support the development of relevant infrastructures in Armenia, including: (a) creation of datacenters; (b) development of networks with branched fiber-optic links, (c) installation of Wi-Fi access points for public internet in Armenia’s settlements, (d) creation of an effective interconnection system to increase reliability of intranets connected to internet, ensure security and address development issues, (e) quality Armenian translation and development of guides in native tongue for efficient utilization of the common information space, computer devices, modern smartphones, as well as media manuals for using remote consulting and distant learning, guides for making use of the main internet services, (f) acceleration and promotion of digitizing the national cultural assets.

The principles of internet governance include:

1. ensuring accessibility;

2. wide dissemination of domain names;

3. better security through expansion of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) protocol;

4. support to the wider use of IPv6;

5. support to human rights protection in the internet;

6. identification of network users along with ensuring private data protection;

7. promotion of innovations;

8. support to intellectual property protection;

9. assistance to creation of local internet traffic exchange centers;

10. general approaches to internet regulation;

11. development of internet numbering and addressing system;