National Governments and Control of the Internet: A Digital Challenge

Over the last decade, the Internet has transformed how information can be made available-it is now used to transfer information about things as varied as financial transactions and celebrity gossip and to link and coordinate activities between otherwise isolated people, from protest groups to lonely hearts. This unprecedented ease of access to a wealth of information and contacts presents a challenge to national governments who wish to control and restrain some of this activity. In recent years, Internet control has become one of the major indicators to assess the balance between freedom and security in democracies. This book explores and compares how, why, and to what extent, national governments decide to control the Internet and how this impacts on crucial socio-economic activities and fundamental civil rights. The author provides detailed studies on the US, Germany, Italy and further case studies on Brazil, Canada, India, the Netherlands, South Africa and Switzerland, to address topics such cyberterrorism, the protection of information infrastructure, and the impact on individual privacy and freedom of speech. This is the first cross-country, comparative study on the issue of Internet control. It will be of interest to international relations scholars and students, and particularly those with an interest in the Internet.

Giampiero Giacomello is a visiting professor of international relations in the Department of Politics, University of Bologna.