Finnish Internet Forum focuses on foundations of secure digital life

Finnish Internet Forum focuses on foundations of secure digital life

The Finnish Internet Forum will again address current issues in digital development. This year's agenda includes the resilience of critical digital infrastructure, the future of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and online harassment.

The 2025 Forum will be held in cooperation with the Committee for the Future of the Parliament of Finland on Wednesday 8 October. Discussions will explore how to prepare for threats to critical digital infrastructure, the role of the WSIS process in Finland, and the most effective ways to tackle online harassment.

Opening remarks will be given by Timo Harakka, Vice Chair of the Committee for the Future and Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Party, and Antti Vasara, the Foreign Minister's Special Envoy for Technology. The programme includes two panel discussions and one roundtable session. The event will close with remarks from Kirsi Karlamaa, Director of Technology and Strategy at the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

The first panel will be opened by Kurtis Lindqvist, CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees global domain name management and the functioning of the internet system. The discussion takes place at a time when new types of threats are emerging against Finland's and neighbouring regions' critical digital infrastructure. The panel will consider how different actors can prepare for these risks and whether Finland's infrastructure is resilient enough to face increasingly complex threats.

The second panel will focus on online harassment. It will examine its forms and impacts, and how individuals, communities and authorities can protect themselves and respond effectively. The panel will offer timely perspectives on the intersection of digital security and freedom of expression.

The third session will centre on the WSIS+20 review process, marking 20 years since the UN's World Summit on the Information Society. The discussion will outline a future vision for WSIS and assess its relevance for Finland both nationally and internationally. The session will provide an overview of the negotiations ahead of the UN General Assembly's high-level meeting in December 2025.

The full agenda of the event is available on the Finnish Internet Forum website. The event is by invitation only. If you are interested in attending, please fill in this questionnaire (in Finnish) by 1 October.

You can also follow the public webcast of the event via the Parliament of Finland.

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