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All you need to know about our Internet Governance initiative

Why is Internet Governance important for all NGOs?

The internet belongs to everybody or so we think. In fact it belongs to those who get involved. Google, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, YouTube, amongst many others, are important tools for NGOs and Notforprofits to operate and fundraise. It is not sufficient however to be active in social media! Your domain names and IP addresses have become precious resources for your organization. How ICANN is ran is critical to your ability to manage your reputation and domain name system risks. It has become part of what you have to do to protect your ability to realize your mission and deliver goods and services to your beneficiaries.

Governments and private sector have long understood the importance of being involved in Internet Governance. Civil Society is running behind here and we need to fight back and take our place. In a single digital economy, it has become possible for civil society to govern…but each and every NGO and Notforprofit must engage.

Why and how do NPOC and GKPF cooperate on the topic of Internet Governance?

With the internet, NGOs and Notforprofits have global reach. NPOC and GKPF are two critical networks to be active globally in order to stay relevant locally! These two networks engage civil society as an equal partner in dialogue with governments and private sector.

NPOC needs a global network like GKPF to disseminate what is happening in the domain name system. How can you change your domain name? What should you do to combat fraud and protect your intellectual property? What you need to know to safely fundraise online?

GKPF needs a seat inside ICANN to allow civil society more voice and more consideration in the internet landscape and internet policy development.

NPOC and GKPF are collaborating to build knowledgeable, bigger and stronger NGO and NFP communities.

What is NPOC and ICANN?

NPOC is a new constituency within the Non Commercial Stakeholder’s Group (NCSG) of ICANN, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers”). Created in 1998, ICANN is a not-for-profit partnership of people from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers.

NPOC is a collaboration of Not-for-Profit civil society organizations that are concerned with the best possible access to, and the reliable and secure use of information and communication technologies (ICT's) for humanitarian or philanthropic activities.

What can you do to participate in Internet Governance?

Here is how you can become a part of Internet Governance and help shaping the pro-development ICT and Internet policy:

• Become member of GKPF
  
• Become member of NPOC
• Follow and participate in the discussions from GKPF and NPOC
  
• Contribute your voice to our joint publications "Internet Governance for NGOs"

For any questions or further information please contact Klaus Stoll, Executive Director of GKPF at klaus.stoll@gkpfoundation.org

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