A growing number of academic research institutions are focused on exploring a wide range of important issues concerning the future of the Internet and related technologies. Representing diverse disciplines, methodologies, and viewpoints, these institutions have sought to analyze and understand the growing impact of digital technologies on society and share those findings in such ways that serve the public interest. In the process, they grapple with a complex set of topics and issues of national, regional, and global importance, including policy, regulation and governance, human behavior and social impact, new markets and business models, intellectual property, privacy, and security, and many other issues.
Acknowledging a lack of internationally coordinated research and engagement activities in the areas mentioned above, a group of academic centers launched the Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (in the following referred to as “NoC” or “the Network”) in 2012, a collaborative initiative among academic institutions with a focus on interdisciplinary research on the development, social impact, policy implications, and legal issues concerning the Internet. This collective aims to increase interoperability between participating centers in order to stimulate the creation of new cross-national, cross-disciplinary conversation, debate, teaching, learning, and engagement regarding the most pressing questions around new technologies, social change, and related policy and regulatory developments.
Guiding Principles
In joining the Network, participants commit to a set of Guiding Principles, including a set of core values such as openness, collaboration, and diversity. The Network operates independent from governments, political parties and economic interests and does not take formal positions on policy issues
Contact
For more information or to join the Network of Centers (NoC), please contact NoC Coordinator Raimondo Iemma: raimondo.iemma@polito.it
Events
For further information on past and upcoming NoC events, please visit the NoC events page and http://networkofcenters.net/about.
