The UK Internet Governance Forum – or UK IGF – is a free, one day event dedicated to the discussion and debate of digital policy. Join us for a day of thought-provoking sessions with expert speakers from government, academia, industry, the technical community and civil society.
This year’s UK IGF will take place at 116 Pall Mall, London, on Wednesday 2nd December from 10:00-17:30, followed by drinks and networking. The event will also be available to attend virtually.
A final agenda with session timings will be published closer to the event, but in the meanwhile please see descriptions of confirmed sessions below. You can view our list of speakers here.
All registered attendees will be contacted with further details on timings, sessions and speakers as the programme develops.
UK IGF 2026 Sessions
This year’s UK IGF will feature sessions on the following topics:
Artificial intelligence
What do we want from artificial intelligence to do for our society, and how should it be governed to achieve this?
These questions have been at the forefront of public debate. AI has already substantially impacted how we live our lives and is poised to have much greater impact in the future.
This session will address the impact of AI on security, employment and human rights, with contributions from government, Parliament, industry and civil society.
Data governance and privacy
Can we have it all? How do we ensure privacy, security and data sharing in an age of fragmented digital ID?
How do citizens and consumers currently share their identities with businesses and other organisations, and what are the implications for them and for society? This session will draw on recent research and offer perspectives from industry and civil society on the benefits and drawbacks associated with the ways we share ourselves online.
The national interest
How do we secure the UK’s national interest in the rapidly changing digital environment? Where should our priorities lie?
This session will bring together perspectives from a variety of viewpoints, concerned with infrastructure, security, economic growth and well-being.
Can the UK successfully introduce an Under-16s social media ban?
The government has announced plans to ban social media for those aged under 16.
This session will clarify the government’s plans and offer different viewpoints from young people themselves, from children’s rights organisations, and from those concerned with the technical challenges involved.
International digital policy
Last year the United Nations agreed to carry on with the agreements that it reached on the Information Society twenty years ago. But are these adequate in an age of very rapid change in technology and its impact on every aspect of our lives, at a time when international agreements are being challenged? What are the international challenges arising in the next few years, and what is the role that countries such as the United Kingdom ought to play in them?
Register for the event
If you have any further questions, please contact us at [email protected].
If you are interested in contributing to the UK IGF, please contact [email protected] or read the donor handout.