WSIS+20 Zero Draft Matrix – Internet Society Analysis
ISOC’s message is pragmatic. Lock in what works (an inclusive IGF and an open, interoperable internet), fix what’s missing (predictable funding and continuous stakeholder access to the drafting table), and avoid reopening old arguments by re-using previously agreed UN language wherever possible.
The Internet Society (ISOC) has welcomed the start of formal negotiations on the UN’s ‘WSIS+20’ review and called for practical fixes to ensure the process delivers: stable funding for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), stronger day-to-day inclusion of non-governmental stakeholders, and clear language that keeps the internet open and interoperable.
WSIS+20 is a 20-year check-in on how the world manages the internet and digital technologies. ISOC’s submission explains- in plain terms – why today’s internet works: it is a ‘network of networks’ built on open technical standards, now numbering over 75,000 independently run networks, protected by security tools such as end-to-end encryption, and stewarded by the technical community (for example, the Domain Name System). ISOC wants governments to explicitly recognise this model in the final text.
ISOC backs the Zero Draft’s direction: keep earlier WSIS commitments (people-centred development, human rights online) and make the IGF a permanent UN forum. It notes that this reflects broad stakeholder feedback gathered so far. The group also highlights how the IGF has grown from an annual meeting into a year-round ecosystem with more than 170 national and regional IGFs (NRIs), and asks negotiators to spell out the NRIs’ role and reinforce support for intersessional work.
The main gap, ISOC argues, is money. A permanent IGF without predictable resourcing can’t plan or include underrepresented communities. ISOC proposes adding language that any future funding model be developed with existing funders and stakeholders, and that it guarantees “stable, predictable, and sustainable” support while preserving the forum’s independence. It warns that relying on ad-hoc voluntary contributions, as in the past, has caused instability.
On participation, ISOC supports provisions to broaden who is at the table – including governments, the private sector, civil society, and the technical and academic communities – and to prioritise meaningful inclusion from developing countries and other underrepresented groups. It urges negotiators to keep drafts open, publish timelines and documents, and consult closely with non-governmental stakeholders throughout the talks, not just at the end.
To protect the internet’s usefulness, ISOC asks countries to keep clear wording that the network must remain open, global, interoperable, stable, and secure -and to avoid moves that could fragment it into incompatible national systems. The organisation welcomes the draft’s rejection of state-controlled or fragmented architectures and its call for cooperation to prevent fragmentation risks.
Finally, ISOC supports keeping a long-term review cycle in place, with a request for the UN General Assembly to hold the next high-level WSIS review in 2035 – again with input from all stakeholder groups in the lead-up. It notes this mirrors language already agreed a decade ago, which can help negotiators move faster by relying on settled formulas.
