POL106 Wk 6: Information Controls in the Digital Age

What are different government’s visions of how and by who the internet should be governed? Hint: 3 Countries are Involved

The United States, the European Union (EU), and China

Explain the most lenient government style regarding internet governance.

US: Prioritizes internet freedom (until 2018) —> their governance model champions the private sector and privacy protections consist of a complex ‘patchwork’ of federal and state laws. This model works on the assumption that digital platforms have both the incentive of protecting their brand and users while having the capability due to its sophisticated technology to address problematic content.

Explain the second most lenient/slightly strict government style regarding internet governance.

European Union (EU): Balances rights and freedoms using proactive regulation through three pieces of guiding rules

1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2018): establishes privacy as a fundamental right and provides greater individual control over data

2. Digital Services Act (DSA) (2024): imposes obligations on platforms such as transparency and accountability mechanisms (risk assessments and content moderation procedures)

3. Artificial Intelligence Act (2024): uses a risk-based approach to regulate AI applications, prioritizing rights and safety

Explain the strictest government style regarding internet governance.

China: Cyber sovereignty (an internet governance model that prioritizes state control and national security), resisting Western influence via the internet and advocates for sovereign control in cyberspace. Additionally, they value the security essentially enforcing tight media and internet regulation just like Russia.

What is digital sovereignty? Give an example of it. Which source references this?

An internet governance model that prioritizes state control and national security over their digital environment, essentially exercising autonomy.

Brazil demanded that Elon Musk removed X/Twitter accounts spreading ‘disinformation’ on social media platforms. Specifically, they aimed to block the X account of singer, Davi Sacer, a Bolsonaro supporter who retweeted posts encouraging protests against Brazilian ministers. (Michael Kwet, 2024)

What is the risk of digital sovereignty?

Digital sovereignty, can be used as an excuse to normalize state censorship of politically disfavored speech which creates a dangerous precedent that a person can hold a valid and truthful opinion but they can still be silenced if the state chooses to silence them

What is Section 230? Say the full name and what year it was initiated.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, enacted in 1996), is known as the law that created the internet and facilitates the US internet governance model which allows the self-regulation of tech platforms.

What is securitisation theory? Which source references this?

Refers to the process in which an issue is represented as an existential threat that urgently needs to be dealt with in the name of ‘security’ (Julia Ryng, Guillemente Guichard, Judy Al Saman, Priyanka Choudhury, and Angharad Kellet, 2022)

What are internet shutdowns? Give two examples of them occurring. Which source references this?

The purposed disconnection or termination of internet connectivity in a specific region or nationwide with the intentions of restricting free speech —> often combined with other forms of digital repression (censorship, banning VPN use, arrests of regime opponents, etc.) (Julia Ryng, Guillemente Guichard, Judy Al Saman, Priyanka Choudhury, and Angharad Kellet, 2022)

Myanmar and Belarus have had internet shutdowns and attacks against independent online journalists. They are mainly inspired by the Chinese and Russian model.