The Third World Internet Conference is taking place in Wuzhen, China on November 16-18, with over 1,200 experts in attendance from more than a hundred countries, representing governments, international organizations, business circles and scientific and technical communities. Russia is represented by the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, the Coordination Center for TLD RU/РФ, domestic IT companies and civil society organizations. The conference is focused on global internet governance, cyber security, the internet of things, protection of personal data and Big Data.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping opened the forum with a video message. He called the internet the most rapidly developing segment of the economy that has changed all areas of life, creating not only new opportunities but also new challenges for society.
Оne of the central items on the forum agenda is the regulation of work with personal data, which was described as “the oil of the digital economy.” The definition of personal data and the best ways of handling such data are priority issues for the majority of countries, largely due to the rapid development of the internet of things. Participants in the conference took a variety of opinions and approaches on these issues.
A special panel was devoted to the no less popular subject of Big Data. It was noted that a correct approach to the use and rational application of Big Data may become a new impetus for the development of the global economy and societal relations.
“This year the conference is held under the motto of jointly building a common future in cyber space,” Director of the Coordination Center for TLD RU/РФ Andrey Vorobyev said. “This is why its agenda is unusually extensive. Under the program’s concept representatives of the internet industry and other economic specialists hold joint meetings. Curiously, the Institute of Internet Development (IID) began holding its forums in the same way in 2016. Many issues are common and equally pressing for both Russia and China and the rest of the world. In particular, the participants paid special attention to the issue of Big Data and using it smartly to make a tangible contribution to society’s development.
“Another problem that must be resolved as soon as possible is cyber terrorism and the spread of extremism in social media. Leading world experts shared their experience in countering these phenomena.”
In addition, at the panel discussion on the development of culture in the internet environment, the participants noted the large contribution of IDN-domains to preserving and expanding cultural diversity online. The rise of the national Cyrillic domain .РФ was as an example to many other countries that are now developing domains using their national alphabets.
Participants are voicing different, sometimes diametrically opposed views on internet governance and the role of different groups of users in this process. The forum will end tomorrow, on November 18, with the signing of the summary document.
