Preserving a Universal Internet: The Costs of Fragmentation

As Internet governance and Internet-related public policy issues rise to the top of the international political agenda, a variety of states are exploring measures that may lead, deliberately or inadvertently, to Internet fragmentation. Such measures include (but are not limited to) those intended to prevent or mitigate harms associated with digital connectivity, as well as measures intended to capture economic benefits resulting from online activity, such as implementing alternate models for monetizing the exchange of Internet traffic or taxation or imposing fees on online activity. Extreme efforts entail the creation of entirely separate national Internet analogues with limited or non-existent connectivity to the World Wide Web. Other efforts include extensive firewall and censorship schemes and “opt-in” regimes that, for example, require individuals to explicitly declare their intent to view adult material online.

The effectiveness of such approaches to reducing digital harm and capturing economic benefits is unclear and can pose potential risks to the end-to-end accessibility of the Internet. This workshop will focus on this latter set of issues, by attempting to scope the magnitude of the costs of Internet fragmentation. Detailed cost estimates require a great deal of economic and other research, outside the scope of an IGF workshop; however, there is value in setting the framework for such a research and policy agenda. Panelists will be invited to speak to these issues according to the nature of their expertise. The panel includes technical experts, economic policy analysts, diplomatic practitioners, Internet governance practitioners, experts in international development, and entrepreneurs.

Agenda
Panel introduction by the moderator
Introductory remarks by each panelist
Panel moderator to pose a set of questions to the panel
Moderator will open the floor to questions from attendees and remote participants
Concluding remarks by the panelists
Moderator to conclude the panel

For full details see the IGF website