Vefamál

Vefamál is a term used in Icelandic to describe the field concerned with the governance, policy, and ethics of digital spaces, especially the web. The term is composed of vef, meaning web or network, and mál, meaning matter or issue. In theoretical and applied contexts, veFamál covers the design, management, and regulation of online services, including websites, social platforms, and digital archives.

Core topics include web accessibility, privacy and data protection, content moderation, copyright and licensing, digital literacy, and the governance of platforms and data infrastructures. It also covers archiving, searchability, and the reliability of online information.

In Icelandic institutions, vefamál is studied within informatics, media studies, law, and public administration; policymakers draw on vefamál to draft digital policy, and industry uses vefamál guidance to shape governance and compliance.

Historically, the term gained prominence with the expansion of the internet in the late 1990s and 2000s as societies grappled with online regulation and rights.

Related concepts include internet governance, digital policy, web accessibility, and online safety.