The Internet has attributes of a general purpose technology affecting directly or indirectly the daily lives of every person on the planet, every economy, culture and society. This new global commons should be shared and protected, and the means of governance of the Internet should serve the global community as a whole, rather than the particular interests of a small number of actors such as corporations or states, or driven by decisions made in policy making venues that are open only to a few. Internet governance should adhere to the principles of democratic governance. These governance principles have been illustrated in practice by the emergence of pioneering, so-called ‘multi-stakeholder’ models of governance. However, some crucial questions remain unanswered: What will be the source of legitimacy and the processes which ensure transparency and accountability of Internet governance? How can we make sure that the rights of Internet users will be protected in this new environment? How can Internet governance venues that address crucial Internet policy issues be held accountable, and do we need criteria that specifically address and establish standards of accountability and transparency in Internet governance?