IGF-USA 2020 Subject Matter Survey Results

The IGF-USA Subject Matter Survey ran from February 27 through March 17, receiving a total of 115 responses, from a variety of stakeholders with varying levels of experience at the IGF-USA and global IGF.  The median amount of time spent on the survey was 5 minutes, with a 100% completion rate. 40 respondents left comments and suggestions for topics not covered in the survey.

Stakeholder Breakdown

  • Government / Intergovernmental Organizations: 8 Responses
  • Civil Society / Academia: 24 responses
  • Technical Community: 21 responses
  • Private Sector: 55 responses
  • None / Other: 7 responses

 

Number of IGF-USA’s Attended

  • None: 47
  • 1 IGF-USA: 13
  • 2 IGF-USAs: 11
  • 3 IGF-USAs: 14
  • 4+ IGF-USAs: 30

Number of global IGFs Attended

  • None: 68
  • 1 IGFs: 14
  • 2 IGFs: 6
  • 3 IGFs: 10
  • 4+ IGFs: 17

Methods

Weighted Calculations based on Rank 1-11

This is the method used by Survey Monkey, which weights the score of each ranking in reverse order. For example, a #1 ranking has a weight of 11 and a #11 ranking has a weight of 1. Using this scale, the scores for each option are added together and divided by the total number of responses.

Weighted Calculations based on Rank 1-8

This method varies slightly from the “Weighted Calculations based on Rank 1-11” model. Similarly, it weights scores in reverse order, but only for options ranked 1 through 8. In this case a #1 ranking has a weight of 8, a #8 ranking has a weight of 1, and ranks #9-#11 have a weight of 0. The scores from each option are added and then divided by the total number of responses.

Number of Times Ranked #1

This method is straightforward. It adds up the total number of times that the option was ranked first by a respondent.

Number of Times Ranked in Top 4

This method is similar to the “Number of Times Ranked #1” method, except it adds up the total number of times that the option was ranked in the top 4 by a respondent. The scores are not weighted, meaning that being ranked #1 counts the same as being ranked #4 in the method. We chose this as a method, because the maximum number of complete sessions that an individual can attend is 4.

Key Takeaways

There were seven “Proposed Topics” that scored in the top 8 regardless of method: 

  • Encryption
  • Data Governance 
  • Trust and Security 
  • Platform moderation of user views & news/Liability for User Content
  • IoT and 5G
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Internet Governance Institutions

Of the other 4 topics Antitrust and Big Tech/Techlash scored in the Top 8 for 3 of the 4 methods of analysis, being beat out by Inclusion only in the Number of Times Ranked #1. Digital Dynamics of Elections and Digital Innovation and Disruption scored outside of the Top 8 regardless of method

There were 40 responses to “Are there any important topics not listed above that you would like to see included in this year’s program?” The responses varied, but issues COVID19 was the most frequently mentioned issue.