Four Internets: Data, Geopolitics, and the Governance of Cyberspace

The Internet is a network of networks that requires developing technical and social measures to function, and governing bodies need to balance evolving social ideas with shifting political pressures. Four Internets offers a new approach for conceptualizing the Internet and understanding the values that drive its governance and stability. It contends that the Internet is maintained by four distinct value systems, competing to determine the future directions of internet affordances for freedom, innovation, security, and human rights.

Format: Hardback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 22 October 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Internet has become an integral part of modern civilized life, on par with electricity as a vital utility. However, despite its growing influence, the Internet is not as stable as it may appear. Instead, it can be best described as a network of networks that relies on the development of technical and social measures to function, encompassing hardware, software, standards, and protocols. As millions of new internet users join the digital landscape each year, governing bodies face the challenge of balancing evolving social ideas about internet use with shifting political pressures on internet governance. Failure to strike a balance could result in disconnection.

Four Internets presents a groundbreaking new perspective on the Internet and its governance. It argues that the seemingly monolithic Internet is actually maintained by four distinct value systems: the Silicon Valley Open Internet, the Brussels Bourgeois Internet, the DC Commercial Internet, and the Beijing Paternal Internet. These value systems compete to shape the future directions of internet affordances, encompassing freedom, innovation, security, and human rights.

The book begins by examining the original vision of an Open Internet, highlighting the challenges it faces and the subsequent rise of other internets, which have gained popularity through political and monetary machinations. It then delves into how tensions between these internets manifest across politics, economics, and technology, offering insights into potential new internets that may emerge from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and smart cities.

In conclusion, Four Internets is a visionary and accessible book that empowers readers to believe in a diverse yet interconnected digital world. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the Internet and offers valuable perspectives on the future of internet governance. By understanding the competing value systems that drive the Internet, we can better navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Weight: 622g
Dimension: 165 x 242 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197523681