The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a United Nations-convened, open forum where governments, businesses, civil society, the technical community and others discuss public policy issues related to the Internet. It provides a place for dialogue and exchange—not a regulator or body that makes binding decisions.
What does “Internet governance” mean?
Internet governance is the broader process of developing and applying shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures and programmes that shape how the Internet evolves and is used. The Tunis Agenda describes this work as being carried out by governments, the private sector and civil society in their respective roles. The IGF’s mandate overview sets out that definition.
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The IGF is one forum within that wider process. It is a place to discuss Internet-related public policy, not the whole Internet governance system and not an organization that governs the Internet by itself.
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What does the Internet Governance Forum do?
The Tunis Agenda, adopted on 18 November 2005 as the outcome of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, established the IGF as a multistakeholder policy dialogue forum. Its mandate covers Internet sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development. The official mandate overview describes its main functions:
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- Discuss Internet-related public policy issues and connect institutions working on cross-cutting questions.
- Exchange information and good practices, including on access, affordability and participation by developing countries.
- Identify emerging issues and help build stakeholders’ capacity to take part in Internet governance.
- Address matters including critical Internet resources, user concerns and the principles developed through the WSIS process.
- Publish proceedings so the discussions and ideas can be considered beyond the forum.
The topics vary by year and are shaped through open processes and community submissions. Official examples include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence governance, misinformation, data governance, digital rights, meaningful access and digital sovereignty. The IGF homepage presents these as areas for discussion, not as a fixed list of responsibilities.
Who participates in the IGF?
The IGF brings together people from governments, intergovernmental organizations, companies, civil society, and technical, academic and scientific communities. It is an open forum rather than a membership body. The Secretariat’s official FAQ says participants meet “as equals” to exchange information and share good policies and practices relating to the Internet and technologies.
The UN Secretary-General announced the convening of the IGF on 18 July 2006, following the Tunis Agenda. The forum’s annual meeting programme is developed by the Multistakeholder Advisory Group, and a Secretariat administered by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs supports its work. The official 2026 meeting page provides current event information.
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No. The IGF has no negotiated decision-making mandate, and it does not issue binding rules. Its role is to enable discussion, connect stakeholders and share ideas and practices. Its mandate allows it to make recommendations where appropriate, but these are not binding decisions by the IGF. Discussions and recommendations may inform governments and other decision-makers, which retain authority in their respective settings. The official FAQ describes the forum as a platform for discussion.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the IGF’s status now?
On 17 December 2025, the UN General Assembly confirmed the IGF as a permanent UN forum through resolution 80/173, according to the IGF’s official About page. This status update does not change the forum’s dialogue role into binding decision-making authority.
The 2026 annual meeting is scheduled for Nairobi, Kenya, from 14 to 18 December 2026. The official event page describes it as the first global IGF gathering following the permanent-forum decision. Dates and venue are meeting-specific and may be subject to updates on the official 2026 event page.
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