Power and Authority in Internet Governance: What Role for the State?

The worldwide push for greater state involvement in internet regulation has generated renewed interest in the question of the proper role of the state in today’s digital society: Is the state 'back' in internet regulation? If so, what forms is state involvement taking, and with what consequences for the future? What challenges does state regulation pose to democratic values? Should we fear the 'splinternet'?

The recently published GCR21 volume, Power and Authority in Internet Governance: Return of the State? (Routledge, 2021) tackles these questions, pushing the debate beyond a simplistic dichotomy between liberalism and authoritarianism in order to consider also greater state involvement based on values of democracy and human rights. We invite you to join several of the authors from Power and Authority in Internet Governance for a panel discussion addressing these questions. Like the book, the panel will examine the multifaceted nature of internet governance, highlighting challenges and development at the global level, as well as internet governance from the perspective of both authoritarian and democratic states.

Schedule