If you are interested to learn what is being at the World Economic Forum in 2013 in relation to the Internet this document will be of interest. I have posted it here as it was not able to be easily viewed where it was originally hosted http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GAC_InnovationEngine_2013.pdf

1. The Innovation Engine
Future of the Internet
Global Agenda
The Internet is the largest and most rapidly evolving complex Council
adaptive system in human history. It connects us all. It helps
to feed the human soul and our desire for knowledge,
learning and exchange. We can observe it, we can harness
it, and we can envision some of what it can bring, but we
cannot predict the tremendous wave of global innovation it
continues to unleash.
All of us are architects of its destiny.
We can all take steps to protect the Internet and its many
unfolding benefits, while also seeking to address some
of the resulting risks.
Starting Assumptions
The lines between the Openness and The multi-stakeholder Leveraging distributed
‘real world’ and the ‘online transparency drive model is the best networks is more
world’ are blurring. economic growth. governance approach. effective than building
centralized hierarchies.
Cars - smartphones
on wheels
Smart bugs to
New forms of
assess toxic spills
social networks
Products,
services,
organization,
society, politics –
our lives – are
Continued over...
being transformed.
Finger bio sensors Examples: Crowdsourcing for
for blood tests funding, policy

2. Recommendations For Leaders
...Continued
Opportunities Risks Recommendations
Enhance Cyber • A secure and resilient environment is • Misunderstanding of the dynamic • Review and sign the Forum’s
Security the foundation of economic and nature of the challenge could lead to ‘Partnering for Cyber Resilience
social gain ineffective efforts Principles & Guidelines’
• Capabilities and resilience can be • Centralized programs may increase • Foster a rich ecosystem network of
developed risk cyber capabilities and organizations
• Unbridled security can reduce civil • Invest in ‘Centres of Excellence’:
liberties hubs to develop leading practices in
specialist capabilities,
industry-specific dialogue and
issue-specific networks
• Build institutional capabilities,
including full criminal justice chain
training, adaptation of criminal law,
judicial review and procedural
protections/due process
Build Multi- • Strengthen sense of civic • Ignoring or undermining • Keep the Internet open and
stakeholder participation multi-stakeholder groups threatens interoperable globally
Capabilities • Multi-stakeholder approach taps into economic, social and internet • Foster multi-stakeholder processes
broader base of expertise innovation and the benefits for and organizations to develop
society balanced, sustainable and therefore
• Continue to include civil society,
companies and governments • Closed door policies erode trust and effective policies and investment
together in decision making innovation priorities
• An open, balanced Internet • Use these processes to guide
eco-system drives economic standards, policies and
growth, employment and innovation infrastructure investment decisions
at local, national and global levels
Foster the • Connected devices – with ability to • Poor understanding and practices • Develop scenarios of impact of
Internet of both sense and communicate – around collection, storage, use and Internet of Things on your society.
Things open up unprecedented sharing of data could lead to erosion • Use Multi-stakeholder Institutions to
opportunities for new business of trust and missed opportunity analyze issues and implications
models and social good. E.g. • Anything connected must be
connected car for safety, transport, secured
environmental, insurance, health
• Proprietary mindset limits the
• Saving energy ‘network effects’ and true benefits
Data – Big, Open • Better decision making - new • Abuse of personal data – by • Use Multi-stakeholder Institutions to
and Personal insights governments or companies – results analyze issues and implications
• Improved responsiveness and agility in large scale loss of trust (e.g. Big Data)
– new solutions • Develop user consent models that
• Better engagement with citizens – are contextually-driven
crowdsource solutions
Continue to • Drive economic growth • Some social groups might be • Develop policies that protect and
Promote Internet • An informed, engaged and excluded without protection or promote equitable access to the
Access equitable society active outreach open Internet
• Filtering or monitoring Internet
access limits individuals’ political
choices rights and engagement
Engage Civil • Properly enshrined rights provide • Lack of understanding of need to • Ensure that established civic
Society basis for society re-examine/re-define key rights for protections, eg. human rights
• Established international human digital environment can lead to framework, are adapted and upheld
rights provide a basis for good uninformed declarations for digitally ubiquitous environment
policy making • Lack of open and inclusive process • Use multi-stakeholder frameworks
can lead to uninformed and engagement to develop
policymaking framework
Build Venture • Pro-actively planning economic • Two-tiered society • Develop ‘Smart policy’ frameworks –
Countries incentives to encourage an • Protectionist / ‘race to the bottom’ targeted, adaptive and integrated
entrepreneurial, educated Internet policy basket, including immigration,
knowledgeable workforce can help investment, tax, infrastructure and
drive competitiveness and institutional capabilities
employment
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