Introduction to part III

The governance of the information society is one of the major issues of today in the field of ICT and is especially important in the economic and social fields. How to govern the technology, how to govern content—or whether either should be governed—are questions to which there seem to be as many answers as there are participants in the discussion. The stakeholders in the governance issue are multifold. At the topmost level we need to have international bodies directing the development of governance, such as the initiative by the United Nations (WSIS). But both at the international and national levels the various approaches taken by governments to the development of the information societies they are creating must also be taken directly into account. As Berleur has repeatedly pointed out (2003; Berleur and Poullet, 2006), a good and fair governance of the Internet is crucial for the formation of the information society. It cannot be left to the hands of one nation only (i.e. the United States) but should—in the interests of an ethical and socially responsible approach—take account of the international combination of interests involved. Even with the best of intentions, it is not possible for one nation to take all parties into account.