In this new entry, Ethan Pate, organised an expert discussion lead by Dr. Chris Beall.
The internet’s history is one of openness and decentralized control, largely supported by a US-led push for a laissez faire approach to internet governance. An open internet was believed to be an essential building block of a liberal world order, and any real drive towards global governance would open up the door to repressive regimes looking for justification to clamp down on online freedom (with China’s “great firewall” as the most obvious example). In recent years, however, cracks have formed in that worldview, as national, private sector and regional interests push out a wave of rules and structures to limit the spread of ideas or data within and across their borders and to protect their commercial interests, in the absence of international rules.
Addressing what amounts to a structural vulnerability in our international system requires a new governance approach. The days of relying on digital platform self regulation and fragmented individual government actions must come to an end if we are to preserve the economic and social benefits that emerge from the connecting power of the internet. As a result, the UK, France, Canada and the European Union and others are all engaged in various efforts to reign in big tech. However, the lack of coordination between these countries and others limits the potential effectiveness of these measures and runs the risk of country or region-specific approaches becoming the world wide norm, as happened with European General Data Protection Regulation.
Part of the challenge comes from the way in which international dialogue between countries work. In normal circumstances, international relations focus on treaties, international law and transnational governance structures. The tools to address digital platforms, however, sit within the domestic sphere: regulation, legislation and industry compliance measures are all tools that governments use to manage challenges within their own borders. To address this, we need a new way for domestic actors to work together with their domestic colleagues internationally. It’s to that end that we’ve launched a Global Platform Governance Network.
Dr. Chris Beal is a Policy Lead for the Global Platform Governance Network project on at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). Dr. Beal has previously occupied directorships within the government of Canada in the department of Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Border Services Agency, as well as Parks Canada. He is also a College Fellow within Carleton University’s College of Public Affairs.