Session
Organizer 1: Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 1: Jean-Bertrand Azapmo, Intergovernmental Organization, African Group
Speaker 2: Wendy Seltzer, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Wes Biggs, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Sujith Nair , Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The session format is designed to foster active discussion, feedback gathering, and insight sharing, making it essential for participants to feel comfortable speaking and engaging with one another. A roundtable layout promotes an open, interactive environment where participants—spanning internet governance leaders, technologists, policymakers, and innovators—can freely exchange ideas and collaborate. This setting encourages meaningful dialogue, as opposed to the passive experience of a panel, where participants are limited to listening. The session’s duration allows for in-depth conversations and gives ample time for participants to engage with each other, ask questions, and explore different perspectives. We want to create a space where ideas flow organically, relationships are built, and collaborative solutions emerge, rather than simply delivering presentations. The goal is to shape an inclusive digital future through shared action, and this format is ideal for that kind of co-creation.
(1) How can we build and scale public-interest digital infrastructure? (2) What governance frameworks, including the multistakeholder model, best support open, interoperable protocols while ensuring diverse global representation in decision-making? (3) What policy innovations accelerate adoption of infrastructure that promotes data agency globally?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants—including practitioners, policymakers, and innovators in digital governance—will leave with actionable insights and tools to advance open, and interoperable digital infrastructure that enhances data agency. They will gain access to key resources such as the Fair Data Economy Task Force report which helps frame how to advance innovation across digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship, capital allocation, and policy frameworks, as well as the Blockchain Governance Toolkit. By engaging with experts from policy, technology, and business sectors, attendees will explore governance models that align with the UN Global Digital Compact’s vision for a more inclusive and rights-respecting digital future and propose steps to go beyond. They will also have the opportunity to contribute to ongoing protocol initiatives, including the DSNP Governance Working Group, ensuring their continued role in shaping digital markets that promote data agency, innovation and openness.
Description:
This workshop addresses a critical implementation field in the UN Global Digital Compact's vision for an "open, free, and secure digital future for all" by examining how next-generation digital infrastructure can empower individuals with greater data agency. Building on the groundbreaking work of the Project Liberty Fair Data Economy Task Force—an international assembly of 17 distinguished leaders from 10 countries spanning policy, technology, investment, and business sectors—this session showcases actionable frameworks for digital infrastructure where individuals have meaningful agency, markets remain competitive through interoperability, and value generation is distributed dynamically across the digital ecosystem. The session also presents Project Liberty Fair Data Economy findings from a comprehensive vision for a multi-trillion-dollar transformation opportunity that combines economic growth with enhanced sovereignty to practical implementation pathways, examining how open infrastructure protocols can address market concentration while creating new economic opportunities across diverse regions. Our approach applies the multistakeholder governance model to digital infrastructure development, demonstrating how collaborative creation of interoperable, open systems can transform digital markets while enhancing digital rights and sovereignty. This directly advances the Global Digital Compact's principles of digital inclusion, data protection, and human rights in digital spaces. We will explore open protocols including the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), Beckn, Solid or the AT Protocol that enhance data agency and enable more dynamic and distributed markets in the data economy. These protocols create tangible economic opportunities while addressing digital inclusion and equitable participation concerns highlighted in the Global Digital Compact. Distinguished speakers from technical communities, civil society, governments, and business will share insights on protocol governance innovations that ensure the future of technology innovation serves the public interest. Building on active engagement work around the world,, we'll examine frameworks ensuring meaningful multistakeholder participation in developing next-generation digital infrastructure to power a better data economy.
This session will produce concrete outcomes that advance the governance and development of next-generation digital infrastructure in alignment with the UN Global Digital Compact’s vision. Participants will help refine governance frameworks for open protocols, contributing to practical implementation pathways that enhance data agency, market interoperability, and economic opportunities across regions. A key outcome will be the identification of governance approaches that ensure decentralized digital infrastructure remains inclusive, competitive, and aligned with public interest goals. Insights from the discussion will feed into ongoing multistakeholder initiatives, including the Fair Data Economy, the governance of DSNP, and its ongoing collaboration with open, interoperable data protocols. Additionally, this session will strengthen cross-sector collaboration among policymakers, technologists, and civil society leaders, fostering sustained engagement in governance efforts. Participants will leave with a clearer roadmap for contributing to open, interoperable digital ecosystems that balance innovation, sovereignty, and equitable value distribution.
Hybrid Format: We will ensure seamless interaction between onsite and online participants by using a moderated chat, real-time Q&A, and designated facilitators to bridge discussions. The session will be structured to provide equal opportunities for participation, with speakers engaging both audiences directly. We will use the IGF-provided hybrid tools alongside potentially complementary platforms to enhance engagement and interaction.