Search Skate is a patented online Internet Governance System that strengthens existing Internet Governance mechanisms by: distributing the Internet for inclusive 24/365 bottom-up participation; documenting standardized processes for transparency; delivering a cooperative, balanced approach to resolving issues; and generating a new self-funding revenue stream to sustain the Internet as an independent global public asset.

Why is an Internet Governance System Critical?

The Internet is the world’s first global public asset. That means it’s not owned by a single country, corporation or individual! Instead, it belongs EVERY country and citizen of the world, including you and me! An even more amazing is that it’s also the world most valuable public asset with total e-commerce trades expected to exceed $26.7 trillion dollars for 2020.  So the big question becomes…who’s running the show and making the decisions for this priceless public asset? Everyone and no one, and believe it or not, that’s by design!

Here’s a of the little history. As the Internet evolved, standards, processes, protocols and guidelines were needed. So the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) stepped up and other organizations like the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and W3C arose to ensure the usability, interoperability and long term viability of the Internet.

Then as policy issues emerged, in 2006 the Tunis Agenda asked the UN-Secretary-General to start a multi-stakeholder dialogue group to be called the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Since no entity is authorized to negotiate outcomes, the goal of the IGF is to bring representatives from different stakeholder groups together to discuss the issues, then rely on policy setting entities to respond.

However, the explosive growth of technology, its reach, and the subsequent volume complexity of issues have exceeded the capacity of the current system. In response, the Secretary-General has released a Roadmap for Digital Cooperation that provides Eight Key Areas for Action to extend and enhance the influence of the IGF. Search Skate’s online Internet Governance System (below) can build on the IGF’s existing infrastructure to quickly deliver the Roadmap for Digital Cooperation’s identified actions.

Overview of the Search Skate Solution

Search Skate has designed an actionable Internet Governance System that builds on the Internet Governance Forum’s (IGF) existing infrastructure and is consistent with the IGF Plus Model. The system uses a three-part approach to address current and future issues:

Distributing the Internet:

Over 40% of the world still lacks access to the Internet and its benefits. As a result, the Internet Governance process also lacks full and balanced stakeholder representation. To address these concerns, Search Skate creates tens-of-thousands of locally owned and operated, interest-based Portal Businesses that are the entry point to Search Skate’s Internet Governance System. As local businesses, the Portals are culturally and linguistically relevant, and naturally distribute the Internet and its economy into every country for bottom-up participation. Being interest-based, the Portals attract local Users who share the same interests for discussion, and serve as subgroups to the highly visible, standardized Stakeholder Group Portals Search Skate creates in each country. Of equal importance, the interest-based Portals facilitate coordination within and across interest areas to accelerate implementation the critical underpinning of an inclusive Internet, the SDGs.  Learn more

Building the Framework 

Search Skate creates a Global Common Framework that contains the mission, goals and objectives of Internet Governance; the definitions of commonly used terms; and documents all related laws, treaties, policies, agreements, norms and standards that enable or limit Internet use and/or activities. In addition, it contains an organizational chart identifying the key participants and their relationships; documentation of the processes and procedures of Internet governance; the metrics to be captured, evaluated and reported; and the documents created by or referenced in the processes. New processes can be added to the Framework to enhance the balance of voices between Commercial and Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group, address the differences in needs between the industrialized and emerging countries and to add a new revenue stream (IGF Trust Fund) for independent funding of governance operations. Learn more.

Delivering Governance

Using the processes and procedures laid out in the Global Common Framework, Search Skate integrates the Portals with a Central Workflow/Service Management subsystem to create Search Skate’s online Internet Governance System. Users can enter and track requests or concerns from a Portal Business at the local/national level or at the regional or global levels. Once entered the requests/concerns are digitally populated, categorized, associated with the appropriate regulation(s), recorded in the system and routed (Observatory & Help Desk) to the appropriate Level, Stakeholder Group (Cooperation Accelerator) or Committee (Policy Incubator) for review, evaluation, discussion and resolution or escalation. Reports on requests or concerns from all levels, their status and outcome are electronically monitored and reported to the Advisory Group. Learn More