Twenty years ago the World Summit on the Information Society established the United Nations’ approach to achieving what it called ‘a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society’. What that means has changed enormously since then – through the spread and capabilities of new technologies, the impact they have had on economy and society, our understanding of the risks as well as opportunities involved, and in the balance of power between governments, businesses and users.
The United Nations has reviewed the Summit’s outcomes over twenty years during 2025, culminating in a special session of the General Assembly in December. What has happened since 2005? What did governments agree about in December – and as importantly, what did they disagree about? How should we and indeed how can we assess and influence the impact of digital technologies in future?
And how does the United Nations go about the business of negotiating an agreement on a highly controversial subject such as this at a time of international divisions and uncertainties? How does it seek to involve other stakeholders, such as those from businesses and civil society? Those processes are very complex and widely misunderstood.
Dr David Souter was lead advisor on the General Assembly’s review process for the World Summit, which concluded in December 2025, and he was closely involved throughout the negotiations. He is an independent expert on the digital society and its impacts on economy, society, governance, rights and the environment, who has worked primarily with United Nations agencies for the past fifteen years and previously led one of the first independent development agencies to work specifically on the role of digital technology in development. He will offer unique insights into both the issues involved in the negotiations and into the negotiating process itself: what was discussed and how.
