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Technical Report
Open for Debate: Governance, Power, and the Limits of Internet Openness
Open for Debate: Governance, Power, and the Limits of Internet Openness is an edited collection that examines how the concept and practice of an “open internet” have evolved under changing technological, economic, and geopolitical...
This policy report outlines a practical agenda for strengthening internet accountability and digital resilience at a time when digital infrastructures are central to democracy, security, and economic competitiveness. Drawing on contributions from partner organisations of the Internet Accountability Forum, it is united by a shared concern for the open, free, and rights-respecting internet in the face of growing digital authoritarianism, network fragmentation, and the erosion of civic space online. The report shows how persistent gaps between high-level commitments and domestic practice, uneven and incomplete data, and reactive, capacity-constrained oversight undermine credible monitoring and enforcement, especially in the context of the Global Digital Compact, the WSIS, and related multilateral processes. It argues that pushing back against digital authoritarianism and growing network fragmentation requires collaborative accountability arrangements, including support for rights-preserving technologies, a proposed European technology fund, and sustained investment in open, civil society–driven access and security infrastructures. The contributions also highlight the role of strategic foresight and AI evaluation in anticipating governance challenges, linking internal regulatory agendas with external digital diplomacy, and embedding long-term, inclusive, and evidence-based approaches to accountability and resilience in the evolving global digital order.