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Global network for internet research

The Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (NoC) is an initiative started in 2012, which aims to increase cooperation between participating centres in order to facilitate knowledge exchange, realise synergies and collectively confront transnational issues on a global level. In the process, they grapple with a variety of topics of both domestic and global importance: policy, regulation and governance, human behaviour and social impact, new markets and business models, intellectual property, privacy and security, and many other issues.  The Network initiates and facilitates joint research activities and events and thereby has added a global perspective on the current debates on internet and society.

In August 2020, the NoC launched its international research project "Ethics of Digitalisation - From Principles to Practices". The two-year project aims to develop groundbreaking and actionable answers to challenges in the area of conflict between ethics and digitalisation. Apart from HIIG, the main project partners of the joint initiative are the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, the Digital Asia Hub, and the Leibniz Institute for Media Research I Hans-Bredow-Institute. The research project is funded by Stiftung Mercator; German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is its patron.

European Hub for Internet and Society

The European perspective on global issues

In October 2017, representatives from 15 European research institutes of the NoC launched the European Hub. The aim is to coordinate European cooperation on Internet and society research and to harness synergies between research projects in order to strengthen European Internet research at an international level. The Hub's work focuses on independent and interdisciplinary research on the opportunities and challenges of digital technology, innovation and European society. The European network currently comprises 58 institutions from all over Europe.

“European research traditions and theories will be able to make an even bigger contribution to our understanding of the digital society. We at HIIG are pleased to support this process.”

Wolfgang Schulz, director of HIIG

Current events of the network

To browse current and future events of the Network of Centers, click here.

Past events of the network

08 Nov

Artificial Intelligence and Inclusion Symposium

08.11.2017 - 10.11.2017    
All Day
Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers Official Meeting Symposium Website OVERVIEW / CONCEPT Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies have started to shape important [...]
Algorithmic Decision Making and its Human Rights Implications

Algorithmic Decision Making and its Human Rights Implications

12.10.2017 - 13.10.2017    
All Day
Please note: This workshop is not a public event but on invitation only. With the alluring possibility of technology freeing us from the need to [...]
08 Oct

NoC Working Meeting @AoIR 2016

08.10.2016    
16:00 - 18:00
Global Network of Interdisciplinary Internet & Society Research Centers Unofficial Meeting AoIR 2016 – Internet Rules! In October the annual conference of the Association of [...]
27 Nov

Internet & Society: Emerging topics and research communities

27.11.2015    
9:00 - 15:00
The Global Network of Interdisciplinary Internet & Society Research Centers (NoC) will host its annual public conference “Internet & Society: Emerging Topics and Research Communities”, [...]
Multi-Stakeholder Internet Governance Models, Mechanisms and Issues

Multi-Stakeholder Internet Governance Models, Mechanisms and Issues

25.04.2014 - 26.04.2014    
9:00 - 16:00
A Network of Centers (NoC) Event in the Series on the Collaborative Internet Governance Ecosystem hosted by the Center for Technology and Society of FGV [...]
22 Apr

International Seminar on Internet Governance – Preparatory to NETmundial

22.04.2014    
15:00 - 19:00
Introduction On April 23-24, 2014 Brazil will be hosting the Global Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance (NETmundial) meeting in Sao Paulo. Nevertheless, [...]
23 Nov

NoC Regional Conference Germany 2013

Global Network of Interdisciplinary Internet & Society Research Centers Events Series This event was part of the meeting on Chances and Risks of Social Participation Download [...]
Chances and Risks of Social Participation

Chances and Risks of Social Participation

22.11.2013    
8:30 - 19:30
Participation is a key issue within Internet research and hence also for the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. For this reason the institute is going to initiate a thematically focused meeting on Chances and Risks of Social Participation in Berlin on 22 November 2013 in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.
23 May

NoC Regional Con Turkey: ICT, Law, and Innovation

In collaboration with Bilgi University Istanbul, the recently launched global Network of Internet & Society Centers (NoC), is hosting a symposium on 23 May 2013 [...]