Governance of the Internet: Emerging Issues

The Internet and associated networks and devices are intruding throughout social and commercial activity. They are improving information exchange storage and utilisation to an extent that is re-shaping the structure and institutions of society that have evolved over centuries inresponse to information limitations. The phenomenal growth in Internet activity is now challenging the dominant use of networks by telephony despite effectively starting up just 6 years ago. The provision and utilisation of broad-band services has supplanted telephony as the central information issue of this decade.The purpose of this paper is to comment on issues that are arising in Internet governance in New Zealand and elsewhere. Such is the rate of change in the use of the Internet and in the concomitant technology that detailed prescription is not useful. Nevertheless changes that are taking place in the Internet provision imply that governance cannot be ignored. Enunciating the principles that should be reflected in governance that is in the public interest is worthwhile at this time.The pressures for change are coming from the inevitable and essential commercialisation of the provision of Internet services. An effective governance structure should facilitate this commercial evolution and the efficient adoption of change and provision of services to the enduser. Potential changes to the governance of the Internet Registry are matters of public interest.