nye157_Andrew Brookes_Getty Images_computer Andrew Brookes/Getty Images

Internet or Splinternet?

The importance of the Internet – to individuals, societies, companies, and economies – cannot be overstated. But, as a recent report by the Global Commission on Internet Governance shows, it is at risk of costly fragmentation, as national governments establish control over the parts of it within their borders.

CAMBRIDGE – Who owns the Internet? The answer is no one and everyone. The Internet is a network of networks. Each of the separate networks belongs to different companies and organizations, and they rely on physical servers in different countries with varying laws and regulations. But without some common rules and norms, these networks cannot be linked effectively. Fragmentation – meaning the end of the Internet – is a real threat.

https://prosyn.org/e2Xmu1z