As we stand at the threshold of an era defined by the convergence of physical and digital realities, the World Economic Forum’s white paper Shared Commitments in a Blended Reality: Advancing Governance in the Future Internet (November 2024), developed in collaboration with Accenture, provides a compelling blueprint for governing the next phase of the internet. This pivotal document not only highlights the immense opportunities offered by blended realities such as the metaverse but also addresses the governance challenges that accompany this evolution.
The Vision for Blended Reality Governance
The “blended reality” or the convergence of physical and digital realms is being driven by innovations in extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and quantum technologies. The report frames this technological leap as an opportunity to establish a governance model that prioritizes trust, inclusivity, and accountability, while addressing longstanding internet challenges such as fragmented governance, inconsistent technical standards, and digital inequity.
At its core, the paper proposes eight guiding commitments to ensure that this new paradigm aligns with societal values and delivers social, economic, and environmental benefits. These commitments emphasize respecting human rights, fostering collaborative safety, promoting accountability, defining ownership of digital and physical assets, ensuring responsible data practices, prioritizing accessibility, advancing education, and embracing sustainability.
Key Highlights and Governance Challenges
1. The Current Internet Governance Landscape
The report identifies significant challenges within current internet governance:
- Fragmentation: Governance is fragmented across jurisdictions, with conflicting regulations and standards creating inefficiencies and inequities.
- The Digital Divide: One-third of the global population remains offline, underscoring the need for universal digital access.
- Reactive Policies: Governance frameworks have historically been slow to adapt to technological advancements, which often leaves societal risks unaddressed until harm occurs.
2. The Role of Multistakeholder Models
The white paper recognizes the success of multistakeholder governance models, such as those championed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). However, these efforts must now evolve to address the complexities of the blended reality, including interoperability across platforms and safeguarding privacy within immersive digital spaces.
3. The Promise of Blended Reality
While technologies like XR and blockchain promise transformative benefits—ranging from personalized healthcare to immersive learning—they also introduce risks such as privacy violations, misinformation, cyberbullying, and inequitable access. The report argues that governance frameworks must strike a balance between fostering innovation and mitigating these risks.
Eight Commitments for Blended Reality Governance
The white paper outlines eight commitments as foundational principles for governing the future internet:
1. Respect for Human Rights
Governance must extend human rights protections into digital spaces. This includes preserving privacy, ensuring freedom of expression, and empowering users to engage in digital activities without fear of harm or exploitation.
2. Accountability
Clear frameworks are needed to delineate roles and responsibilities among stakeholders, from governments to corporations. This includes mechanisms for recourse and redress when governance failures occur.
3. Collaborative Safety
Multistakeholder collaboration is essential to protect vulnerable populations and ensure safety within immersive environments. This includes designing systems that place the burden of safety on developers rather than users.
4. Ownership of Physical and Digital Assets
As digital identities, intellectual property, and virtual goods gain prominence, governance must establish clear rules for ownership, provenance, and transferability. Emerging tools like blockchain and digital certificates will play a critical role in this effort.
5. Responsible Data Practices
Data stewardship must prioritize transparency, privacy, and security across the entire data lifecycle. The principles of “review, update, transfer, deletion, and erasure” (RUTDE) must be embedded into systems to give users control over their personal data.
6. Education and Research
Accessible education and open research will empower individuals to navigate and contribute to blended reality technologies. This includes fostering digital literacy and funding research to understand the societal impacts of emerging technologies.
7. Accessibility
To bridge the digital divide, infrastructure investments and interoperable standards are critical. Blended realities must be inclusive, allowing diverse populations to participate fully regardless of their socioeconomic or geographic circumstances.
8. Social, Economic, and Environmental Sustainability
Governance frameworks must promote technologies that are environmentally sustainable, economically equitable, and socially inclusive. This includes addressing the carbon footprint of XR technologies and prioritizing business models that deliver long-term value.
A Call to Action for Stakeholders
The paper emphasizes that realizing this vision requires a multistakeholder effort involving governments, industry leaders, academia, and civil society. Specific actions include:
- Aligning global standards and policies with these commitments.
- Creating multistakeholder forums for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Measuring progress through transparent metrics and reporting mechanisms.
My Take on the White Paper
The Shared Commitments in a Blended Reality report is an ambitious yet pragmatic roadmap for addressing the governance challenges of the next internet frontier. The inclusion of diverse commitments—spanning human rights, data stewardship, and sustainability—demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to balancing technological innovation with societal values.
However, the success of this vision hinges on effective implementation. Historically, multistakeholder efforts have faced challenges in maintaining momentum and achieving global alignment. For example, conflicting regulations such as the EU’s GDPR and more lenient US data policies illustrate the difficulties of harmonizing governance frameworks.
Additionally, the report rightly emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and accessibility. As the internet evolves into a more immersive and spatial experience, the digital divide could widen if proactive measures are not taken. Governments and private enterprises must prioritize infrastructure investments in underserved regions and ensure that marginalized communities have access to emerging technologies.
Finally, the commitment to environmental sustainability is particularly noteworthy. As the demand for XR hardware and data centers grows, the industry must address its energy consumption and carbon footprint. Collaboration with environmental experts and the adoption of green technologies will be critical in mitigating these impacts.
Conclusion: A Transformative Opportunity
The white paper sets the stage for a transformative era of internet governance. By aligning stakeholders around shared commitments, we have the opportunity to build a blended reality that enhances human potential while safeguarding individual rights and societal well-being.
As the metaverse and related technologies mature, this report should serve as a guiding framework for policymakers, innovators, and civil society leaders. The future of the internet is not just about technology—it’s about building trust, fostering equity, and shaping a digital world that benefits everyone.
Source
World Economic Forum. Shared Commitments in a Blended Reality: Advancing Governance in the Future Internet (November 2024), in collaboration with Accenture.
