The University of Hawaiʻi convened about 80 technology professionals, educators, and policymakers on September 4 for the inaugural Hawaiʻi School on Internet Governance, addressing regional digital equity, artificial intelligence, and Indigenous data sovereignty during Hawaiʻi Tech Week, according to event organizers.
Hawaiʻi Tech Week Hosts Inaugural Digital Governance Symposium
The free one-day event took place at Servpac’s Activity Room in Mililani Tech Park. Organizers designed the symposium, known as HiSIG, to raise awareness and build capacity around digital technologies across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. According to event background details, the project’s origins trace back to talks conducted alongside the Internet Governance Secretariat at the World Summit on the Information Society+20 conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, during July 2025.
“Internet governance is no longer simply a technical conversation. It touches how we communicate, how information is shared and who has a voice in shaping our digital future,” Wayne Buente, chair of the UH Mānoa Communication Program and communication professor in the College of Social Sciences, stated according to university reports.
Centering Indigenous Knowledge and Data Sovereignty in the AI Era
Panel discussions examined how Indigenous communities maintain control over traditional knowledge as digital archives and artificial intelligence expand. Leimomi Bong of the UH Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation spoke on a dedicated panel examining Indigenous knowledge in the digital age, emphasizing the necessity of protecting ancestral heritage from unauthorized extraction, according to session descriptions provided by organizers.
Additional sessions at HiSIG tackled the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, digital literacy, and inclusive Internet access. Experts also addressed trust, safety, and risk in a connected artificial intelligence world, weighing the benefits of personalized systems against expanded attack surfaces and algorithmic bias, according to published agenda topics.
Vint Cerf Delivers Virtual Keynote on Internet Evolution
Google chief Internet evangelist and Internet pioneer Vint Cerf delivered the virtual keynote address titled “State of the Internet.” Cerf’s presentation examined the historical development of the Internet in Hawaiʻi and outlined ongoing technological changes, according to event summaries.
The UH Mānoa Communication Program sponsored the symposium alongside community stakeholders. Faculty and student participation aimed to integrate communication perspectives into broader discussions affecting digital policies throughout the Pacific, according to university statements.
Did you know?
The term “multistakeholder model” serves as a foundational concept in Internet governance organizations like ICANN and ISOC, bringing together governments, the private sector, civil society, and technical communities to shape digital policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the primary focus of the Hawaiʻi School on Internet Governance?
HiSIG focused on the future of Internet and digital governance, covering artificial intelligence, digital equity, Indigenous knowledge, and online safety under the theme “Navigating Global Digital Governance,” according to event reports.
Who organized and sponsored the September 4 symposium?
The University of Hawaiʻi helped bring stakeholders together for the event, with the UH Mānoa Communication Program serving as a sponsor alongside community partners during Hawaiʻi Tech Week, according to university disclosures.
Where did the initiative originate?
Background reports note that the HiSIG project emerged out of consultations with the Internet Governance Secretariat that took place at the World Summit on the Information Society+20 gathering in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 2025.
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