The document discusses key areas and forces that will shape the future of the Internet, based on a study conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute. It explores technological, social, economic, and regulatory trends and how they will interrelate. The goals of the study were to define possible future scenarios for the Internet and assess their socioeconomic impacts. The researchers used a Delphi survey technique and scenario building workshops to develop consensus visions for Europe's future Internet.

1. Towards a Future Internet Interrelation between Technological, Social and Economic Trends A study for DG Information Society and Media Oxford Internet Institute : Dr Ian Brown, Malte Ziewitz SCF Associates: Simon Forge Individual Experts: Dr Lara Srivastava, Dr Colin Blackman, Dr Karmen Guevara, Dr Motohiro Tsuchiya, Dr Jonathan Cave

2. Where are we going? Key areas for development for Internet progress as a foundation of a global society: Non-traditional computers’ demands (especially mobile) Linking sensor networks and device- to-device interchanges Architectural advances from new principles Information and knowledge structures Operations and management Functions, features and their protocol stacks

3. The form of a future Internet is governed by four key forces Regulation Economic Policy Operations & Management Governance Social Psychological & human interaction Technical

4. Goals of the study Major objective: to explore what a future Internet should be - by researching the possible social, psychological, technological and economic options for its development and their likely socio- economic impacts: Explore the past - examine prior studies - analyse how the current Internet evolved to date, its main drivers and effects Define possible future scenarios and assess likely socio-economic impacts - investigate the interrelations between technological, social, psychological and economic trends and developments related to a future Internet, verified using Delphi surveys Produce visions for Europe of a Future Internet, in terms of each of the 4 forces

5. The key work actions and packages WP1 Internet History and Evolution Original architecture & design criteria Socio-economic trends Main historical drivers Regulation Causal links etc WP2 Building Future Internet Scenarios Scenarios built with Delphi survey to explore:- Needs analysis for a future Internet – the Main Drivers Future Social and Economic trends Future psychological and interface needs Future Internet development directions Architectural and technical evolution Services evolution Disruptive developments Economic impacts Regulation needs and their impacts WP3 Towards an EC Internet Policy Risks and rewards Design for living - the socio-economic dimensions Regulation and governance Management and operations

6. Using a Delphi survey and scenario building workshops to build consensus for preferred visions for Europe Delphi round 1 using Web platform Social networking Build initial Scenarios using SCF methodology Test and improve scenarios in Brussels workshop Final Scenarios Test & validate in USA and Japan, with workshops Environmental scanning Initial conditions Trends Drivers Assumptions Assertions Hypotheses 3 or 4 visions for Europe Delphi round 2 using Web platform Social networking