The Global Internet Policy Observatory (GIPO)

Nowadays, many states, NGOs and others interested in Internet governance are overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of information involved in relevant discussions. They have trouble getting feedback on questions such as:

• how is net neutrality defined and handled in different parts of the world?
• where is data-privacy being discussed in my own country?
• what is the Internet Governance Forum and how can I be part of it?
• what are the views of different stakeholders on the management of critical Internet resources such as the domain name system?

The Commission is helping to set up the GIPO tool to help everyone find their way in the Internet policy labyrinth. The tool will also help people understand what is being discussed at key international events on Internet Governance, who does what, and what positions different stakeholders hold.

The idea is to crowd-source knowledge and expertise to develop a tool to help users understand and monitor Internet policy and regulatory and technological developments around the world. This way, everyone can get more involved in relevant international policy discussions, where important decisions on the future of the Internet are made. This will be particularly helpful for stakeholders in developing countries, helping them build capacity and increase expertise on Internet governance issues.

How is the GIPO platform useful for you?

On this platform, you can:

• Tell the GIPO team what kind of information you'd wish to get through the tool.
• follow online webinars on the project, to directly discuss with the team how to make the tool work for you.
• Find upcoming workshops that you can attend in person to ask questions and contribute your thoughts. The first such workshop was held during EuroDIG on 4 June in Sofia.
• Find information on how the project advances.
• Subscribe to the GIPO Newsletter and social media channels. (Linkedin and YouTube) to find out more on the state of play of activities and share ideas and proposals.

The GIPO initiative is sponsored by the European Commission and carried out by a consortium of three specialised companies, selected through an open tender procedure.

Background

The European Commission proposed the development of the Global Internet Policy Observatory in 2014 as a resource for the global community.

The Commission conducted a feasibility study assessing over 30 available technological options and gathering ideas on a possible governance framework to manage the Observatory tool. The Commission also launched a tender for the technical development of an online platform for the Global Internet Policy Observatory. The contract was signed on 17 December 2014. The winning entity is a consortium of three companies: P.A.U. Education, Fundacion CTIC and Open Evidence.

In addition to the technical development of the GIPO technical platform, the consortium is tasked to conduct different activities to facilitate the involvement of different stakeholders in the project. GIPO will complement and cooperate with already existing relevant initiatives, including the Geneva Internet Platform, and the Friends of the IGF.