[Chapter-delegates] Community Feedback Shaping Our Plans

[matthew shears]

I contributed to an isoc global internet report in 2019 which was focussed on consolidation - maybe time for an update

Sent from my iPhone

On 19 Nov 2025, at 19:33, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via Chapter-delegates <chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> wrote:

 Dear Christian,

"consolidation" is a topic that ISOC HQ has addressed in the past.
It definitely could be matter for an interesting Webinar.
Kindest regards,

Olivier

On 19/11/2025 13:08, Christian de Larrinaga via Chapter-delegates wrote:

Useful to see this activity and list of thoughts.

I wonder did "resiliency" in some form come up?

Perhaps the main rationale for the "Internet" was to ensure reliable
communications despite catastrophic system failures. The design to
achieve that emphasises distribution and decentralisation of
communications resources and open protocols and designs to support that
capacity building effort.

Given the concentration of networks and resources in fewer hands in the
last 25 years we are seeing increasing fragility. I'm sure we all have
many examples where apps have gone offline or broken data. The signs are
this fragility is increasing in step with centralisation and capture of
user resources.

We know that this can be remedied by enhancing the capacity and access
of people at the network edges. Because that is why the Internet exists
and why it became such a success so quickly.

What is the Internet Society doing and planning to increase diversity
and access to network resources in the hands of people at network
edges?

This is particularly urgent given the $trillions being vested in
centralised AI over the web and under it which is adding exponentially
to the risks already evident.

With a rush of "institutes" for AI "ethics" sprouting up everywhere
looking at ephemeral problems of data semantics. Important as that
is.

How much consciousness is being given to the underlying societal
resiliency and the technical qualities and priorities to ensure the
people at the edge of our networks call the shots as to how this
evolves? Those working in AI ethics for example need appreciation of
decentralised distributed computing and networks. As these are the
underpinnings.

ISOC has rather avoided dealing with this nettle of centralisation given
so much of the industry today is based on the financial models that have
generated it.


Christian

Stine Gaba Gomez via Chapter-delegates
<chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org><mailto:chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> writes:



Dear Chapter Leaders,

Thanks to everyone who joined our first-ever Mobilization Studio in Dublin last month. More than 50 community
members — including chapter leaders, organizational members, alumni, and individual members — took part in
this prototype interactive session exploring one key question:

“In 2026, our community moves as one — informed, mobilized, unstoppable. What will it take to make this real?”

What You Told Us

* Capacity Building — you want sustained training for youth, policymakers, and marginalized communities,
 focusing on cybersecurity, AI literacy, Internet governance, and digital skills.
* Multistakeholder Collaboration — there should be more partnerships, joint initiatives, and collective advocacy
 with governments, industry, academia, and community groups.
* Localized Empowerment — communities need to be empowered to lead context-specific solutions to the
 issues that are important to them.
* Policy Advocacy — there needs to be more emphasis on Internet Society’s collective voice as a powerful tool
 for public policy impact and how it can influence local and national Internet policies.
* Communication & Coordination — you asked for more two-way communication between Internet Society
 staff and chapters, improved platforms, better information, clearer direction, and stronger alignment on
 goals, priorities,and outcomes.
* Inclusivity & Diversity — you told us that community networks are essential tools for empowerment and
 sustainability, and that underserved and remote regions must be connected.
* Online Trust & Safety — there’s a strong need for safe, multilingual, accessible online experiences.
* Organizational — you want clearer ways for members to meaningfully contribute to Internet Society’s mission,
 as well as ways to share knowledge, information, and resources with other chapters and members.

Looking Forward

We asked you how, together, we could achieve the goals highlighted during the session. You told us you wanted
to:

* Grow the community: more members, more youth, more countries represented.
* Engage policymakers: direct advocacy, and timely, more coordinated responses to potentially harmful
 policies.
* Train communities: digital literacy, cybersecurity, governance, and inclusion.
* Strengthen collaboration: chapters working together and with external partners.
* Serve as Ambassadors: championing openness, safety, and inclusiveness.
* Organize & participate in IGFs and multistakeholder processes.
* Lead capacity-building at national and local levels.

Next Steps

While this input comes from a small subset of our community, it offers valuable insights into what matters most
to you and reinforces some of the priorities we’re already focused on, based on feedback from last year. Many of
you have also contributed to our three online working sessions on the Internet Society advocacy strategy, where
you co-created an operational roadmap that translates global strategy into local, sustainable activities.

Thank you for the thoughtful input shared during our Mobilization Studio and online working sessions. Your
contributions — from stakeholder mapping to tactical recommendations to commitments — are helping shape
our collective path forward. We will use these findings to inform our 2026 mobilization plans, enhance our tools
and communications, and help set shared priorities for policy and advocacy.

By the end of Q1 next year, we’ll share our strategic mobilization plans and roadmap, including collaboration
opportunities, key milestones, and ongoing efforts to ensure community insights continue to inform our global
planning.

Thank you for all you do!

Stine



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