Op-ed by Paul Fehlinger on Cyberspace Fragmentation

I&J

Published on
April 17, 2014

Cyberspace Fragmentation

On April 17, 2014, I&J’s Paul Fehlinger published the op-ed "Cyberspace fragmentation – An Internet Governance Debate beyond Infrastructure" in Internet Policy Review. The article discusses the state of Internet governance ahead of NetMundial in April 2014, and focuses on the key question of how to appropriately address the risks of Internet fragmentation and cyberspace fragmentation while ensuring the peaceful coexistence of Internet users.

To handle the coexistence of diverse laws and norms in cyberspace, such a framework must be as transnational and innovative as the Internet itself.

States naturally need to perform their public responsibility to protect their citizens – offline, as well as online. But how can states enforce national jurisdiction if most online interactions involve multiple jurisdictions at once?