Capacity building in cyberspace: taking stock

The growing prevalence of digital communication networks brings to the fore different – sometimes diverging – visions of the future of the internet and the governance of cyberspace. The multi-stakeholder approach, which has provided the framework for international cooperation, is increasingly challenged by actors who wish to see greater governmental control of cyberspace. Now more than ever, the on-going debate over how to define internet governance requires international cooperation in order to fully reap the social and cultural benefits of an open internet, to unlock its potential for stimulating economic growth (especially in the developing countries), and most importantly, to defend freedom, democracy and the rule of law in cyberspace. The purpose of the Task Force is to investigate how cyber capacity-building efforts support the idea of an open and secure cyberspace. Furthermore, the focus on cyber capacity-building serves as a bridge for engaging across various policy areas, including foreign policy, development, digital economy and  cybercrime.