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 respond to current issues and direct its future. To address these and other concerns, Search Skate creates tens-of-thousands of locally owned and operated, interest-based Portal Businesses that extend the Internet and its economy into all countries.
Being Interest-based, Each Portal Business:
- Utilizes interest-based social networking to attract local Users into participating in Portal Businesses governance discussions;
- Curates interest-based local content into an Overview Page highlighting new or trending content, products and brands to encourage development of new local content and to keep Users informed and up to date;
- Holds open online Portal discussions on Internet issues in review locally or identified by the Advisory Group, captures and shares the outputs;
- Provides a Portal representative to related Stakeholder Group meetings/discussions to present outputs from Portal discussions and represent the needs and viewpoints of the Portal Business Users; and
- Accelerates implementation of the critical implementation of the underpinning of an inclusive Internet, the SDGs; solves local problems and develops ecosystems to transform local communities in need; and coordinates local/global disaster response by linking to related local content to create consolidated engagement calendaring for facilitating coordination of activities across organizations and individuals with shared interests.
Being locally owned, Each Portal Business:
- Distributes the Internet into each country and serves as a potential internet exchange point (IXP) to increase the affordability and quality of access at the community level;
- Delivers culturally and linguistically comfortable digital spaces where local users can meet, chat, post, shop or exchange ideas; acquire or grow digital skills to participate in developing an open Internet or create new apps and services;
- Provides quick access to local services through links to literacy/training/education, healthcare, transportation, employment, social or government websites and webinars;
- Provides a Local Entry Point for bottom-up participation in the Search Skate’s online Internet Governance System. Local Users can discuss issues, offer ideas for solutions, enter and track concerns of possible Internet misuse or human rights violations, join groups who are building different aspects of the Internet, and/or become a governance volunteer; and
- Grows the local Internet economy. Whether 25 or 250,000 Portal Business open in a country, Search Skate’s Portal Businesses grow the local economy, promote new business development, drive demand for inclusive access and underscore the need for stable utility services and technical infrastructures to support business and economic growth.
Next, learn about how Search Skate’s Global Common Framework can enhance cooperative decision-making, help restore trust and balance disparate voices across different Stakeholder Groups and nations.