Internet Governance: A Developing Country Perspective

INTRODUCTION Internet governance is a broad term that encompasses the design and maintenance of global Internet architecture. This broad definition intentionally does not include regulation of the Internet, whether by governmental or non-governmental institutions. Regulating the Internet has always been a controversial issue. Its original designers chose to keep its operational design open and free, conceiving it as an open communications system which would enable academics to collaborate and exchange ideas and information without being tied to organizational and hierarchical constraints (Leiner et al., 2003). Thus, the Internet was designed as a highly redundant and inter-connected network of networks in which data communications would not be completely disrupted even if parts of the network were to go down. A disruption in any part of the network would result in data packets simply taking alternate routes to reach their destinations. The Internet saw rapid growth in the 1990s, thanks to the invention of protocols such as HTTP, the world-wide-web (web) platform, and the graphical web browser. These developments, combined with falling prices of computer processors and peripheral devices enabled anybody who had an Internet account to access the web, or create a web site to disseminate information. Soon the Internet became a vehicle for unfettered expression, communication, entertainment and commerce. Proponents of free expression lauded the Internet's apparent anarchic characteristics. However, over time, it has become clear that governments have found various means to control and regulate the Internet (Goldsmith & Wu, 2006). More importantly, numerous governmental and non-government entities have started demanding a say in the global management of the Internet. They argue that since the Internet is a global public good, its management, governance and regulation should not rest at the hands of a few administrators who often represented developed countries. They object to the view that Internet governance should only be in the hands of those countries that originally built the Internet infrastructure. These developments underscore the fact that management and governance of the Internet has become a contentious issue. They have the potential to affect the future of Internet communications, commerce, free expression, and national security. Lately some of the emerging economies have also raised their stakes in Internet governance, partly out of concern that not doing so will affect their own economic and social well-being in the future through a form of digital colonization. Many scholars have started to address the questions of multi-lateral governance of the Internet (DeNardis, 2009; Mueller, 2013). Much of the existing discussion takes a western, developed economy perspective, with a focus on the tensions among freedom of expression, security, national integrity, innovation, and economic aspects. An emerging economy perspective is missing in the discussions. This emerging economy perspective is especially critical now. Until recently, Internet governance has generally been considered to be a prerogative of developed economies such as the United States, EU and Australia. However, the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) meetings convened in Geneva in December 2003 and in Tunis in November 2005 were a turning point. Newly emerging economies as well as under-developed economies started seeing the potential of the Internet, and wanted to enjoy the advantages of being connected to the Internet to advance development and commerce. These new entrants were also wary of the overt influence of the developed West concerning governance aspects of the Internet. The developed economies also saw the economic benefits of bringing developing countries into the global network. The resulting years have seen a constant tussle between the digital haves and have-nots. The issue of Internet governance is still not settled, and still a subject of active negotiation among the multifarious stakeholders. …