Trump Administration's Internet Governance Stance May Align With Foreign Policy, ISOC VP Says

The stance that President-elect Donald Trump’s administration takes on internet governance issues “at least internationally is going to be tied very closely” with Trump’s overall foreign policy agenda, said Internet Society Vice President-Global Policy Development Sally Wentworth during a Freedom House event Monday. Freedom House released its annual assessment of internet freedom, which examined the period between June 2015 and May. The report highlighted what the group viewed as governments’ increasing restrictions on the use of social media platforms during periods of civil unrest. Trump’s foreign policy agenda will converge with his stance on internet governance particularly when he approaches negotiations within the U.N., “where we’re seeing a significant rise is member state negotiations over things like cybersecurity and cyberterrorism,” Wentworth said. Trump’s tech agenda generally has been unclear, but on cybersecurity and other tech issues where his goals are at least somewhat clear, his agenda is “perhaps a bit concerning,” Wentworth said.