Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Introduction

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves as the premier global multistakeholder platform for open dialogue on internet public policy, perfectly embodying the decentralized, inclusive governance that Liberland seeks to champion in the digital realm. Established as an outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the IGF brings together governments, private sector, civil society, technical communities, and individuals on equal footing to discuss emerging challenges without binding decisions or coercive outcomes. In a time of intensifying internet fragmentation—highlighted by geopolitical tensions and regulatory divergences in 2025—participating in the IGF is crucial for Liberland to influence policies that preserve an open, resilient, and permissionless internet.

The need for engagement is urgent: the IGF’s 20th annual meeting in Lillestrøm, Norway (June 23–27, 2025), under the theme “Building Digital Governance Together”, produced the Lillestrøm IGF Messages and a Summary Report emphasizing human rights online, ethical AI, and countering fragmentation, while feeding into the WSIS+20 review and Global Digital Compact implementation. For a tech-forward micronation like ours, reliant on blockchain, crypto, and digital innovation, IGF participation offers a low-barrier avenue to amplify our voice on issues like meaningful access, cybersecurity in crises, and preventing state overreach. Affiliation—through registration as stakeholders or national initiatives—costs nothing beyond time and aligns with our principles of voluntary cooperation. As the IGF mandate faces review in late 2025, joining now positions Liberland to advocate for its permanent strengthening, ensuring the forum remains a bulwark against centralized control. This is essential for attracting digital nomads, startups, and investors who demand a free internet; hesitation risks irrelevance in shaping #TheInternetWeWant.

Summary

The IGF traces its roots to the 2005 WSIS Tunis Agenda, which mandated a forum for multistakeholder dialogue on internet governance without negotiated outcomes. Convened annually by the UN Secretary-General since 2006, it has evolved into a vibrant ecosystem with over 150 National, Regional, and Youth IGF initiatives (NRIs) fostering bottom-up discussions. Administered by a small Secretariat under UN DESA, the IGF operates on voluntary funding and consensus, with a Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) shaping programs.

The landmark 20th IGF in Lillestrøm, Norway (June 23–27, 2025), marked two decades of progress, attracting thousands hybrid participants for over 260 sessions. Key outputs included the Lillestrøm IGF Messages—actionable recommendations on digital rights, innovation risks, and sustainable development—and intersessional reports like the Best Practice Forum on Securing Access in Conflicts and the Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation (PNIF). High-level tracks featured ministers, tech leaders (e.g., from Meta, OpenAI), and parliamentarians, reinforcing the Global Digital Compact’s recognition of IGF as the primary platform. Post-forum, activities continued with reports on AI cooperation, meaningful access contributions to WSIS+20, and regional events like SEEDIG’s anniversary (October 2025). For libertarians, the IGF’s non-binding, inclusive model—producing insights that “inform and inspire” without mandates—exemplifies polycentric governance, bridging technical realities with policy while empowering non-state actors.

Inner Content

Individual Liberty (8/10)
The IGF scores 8 in individual liberty by providing a neutral space for diverse voices, including civil society and youth, to advocate for rights online without hierarchical dominance. Sessions at IGF 2025 emphasized human dignity in digital spaces, countering censorship and promoting access as enablers of free expression. The forum’s open format empowers individuals to shape narratives on privacy and innovation.

Deduction reflects occasional government-heavy influences in high-level tracks. For Liberland, it enhances personal freedoms digitally.

Minimal Government (8/10)
An 8 in minimal government, as the IGF lacks enforcement powers, relying on dialogue to influence without mandates. Its UN-hosted but multistakeholder nature dilutes state control, with 2025 outputs like fragmentation reports advising light-touch approaches.

Slight deduction for UN Secretariat overhead. Ideal for our minimalism.

Free Markets (9/10)
9 for fostering discussions on innovation and economic opportunities, e.g., AI ethics and trade in digital services at IGF 2025.

High due to private sector parity.

Non-Aggression (8/10)
8 for peaceful, consensus-driven exchanges promoting cooperation over conflict.

Decentralization (8/10)
8 reflecting NRIs and bottom-up program, though UN convening centralizes somewhat. 2025’s regional focus strengthened this.

Feasibility (9/10)
9: Open participation, low barriers.

Citizen Consent (7/10)
7 for inclusive but indirect representation; outcomes non-binding respect consent.

Conclusion

Engaging with the Internet Governance Forum would profoundly advance Liberland’s digital sovereignty, leveraging its 63/70 score to participate in a truly multistakeholder arena that mirrors our decentralized ideals. From the 2025 Lillestrøm outcomes reinforcing inclusive governance to ongoing work on fragmentation and access, the IGF offers a platform to advocate for The Internet We Want—open, resilient, and voluntary. By joining, we influence global dialogues, network with innovators, and protect freedoms without compromise. This is our opportunity to shape the post-WSIS+20 era; let’s embrace it fully.