The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, the protection of personal data and ensuring trust in digital services are among today’s key priorities. Against this backdrop, the question of “Who governs the Internet, and how?” is once again becoming increasingly important.
The Internet is an interconnected system of independent networks operating across different countries around the world.
The operation and development of the Internet are ensured through cooperation among a wide range of stakeholders. This approach is known as Multistakeholder Internet Governance. It brings together five main stakeholder groups:
- Government
- Private sector
- Technical community
- Academia
- Civil society
Governments establish the legal and regulatory framework; businesses invest in and develop digital services; technical experts develop the common standards and protocols that ensure the Internet functions; academia conducts research; and civil society represents the public interest and advocates for the protection of human rights. Decisions are developed through cooperation, discussion, and consensus-building.
The foundations of multistakeholder governance and the general principles of global digital cooperation were established in the documents adopted at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005. At the international level, one of its key platforms is the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
The IGF serves as a platform for dialogue among different stakeholders and the development of recommendations, addressing issues related to Internet development and digital policy. Decision-making processes involve not only those who create and regulate technologies but also those who use them. This approach brings together diverse professional and societal perspectives, making it possible to identify challenges at an early stage, assess the potential impact of decisions and strengthen public trust. This approach is particularly important in the age of artificial intelligence, when technological innovations have a direct impact on personal data, privacy, human rights and social life.
In Armenia, the institutional foundations of multistakeholder governance were established in 2014 through a corresponding decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. A continuation of this process is the Interagency Internet Governance Council (IGC) of Armenia, within which representatives of various sectors cooperate on Internet governance issues. Another important platform is the Armenian Internet Governance Forum, ArmIGF, which brings together representatives of the public, private, technical, academic, and civil society sectors to discuss current digital policy challenges and propose solutions.
On November 6 ArmIGF2026 is scheduled to take place in Yerevan under the theme “From AI Innovation to Responsible Governance.” One of its thematic discussions will focus on “Multistakeholder Governance: Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Digital Trust.” This session will address precisely the challenges outlined above.
