The crisis of “Splinternet”- Where is techno-nationalism headed?
What are the Splinternet and Techno-nationalism?
Do you take it for granted that you can freely access information from all over the world through the Internet? You might think that is the World Wide Web (WWW) and that is a natural characteristic of the Internet. However, the basic premise the entire world has access to single, unified cyberspace is in jeopardy; free access to the Internet is no longer allowed in some countries. Let us first review the meaning of Splinternet and Techno-nationalism.
- Splinternet: A term coined by combining Splinter and Internet and indicates a state where cyberspace is divided among countries and regions for political, religious, or other reasons. For example, one trend of Splinternet is the U.S. and China are enclosing data within their own countries because the amount of data they collect determines the superiority of AI development, etc.
- Techno-nationalism: Nationalism that does not disclose advanced technologies to other countries to use them as a resource to the advantage of one’s own country’s development, against a background of the growing significance of technology in economic and social development and international competition.
What is the problem with Splinternet? The government’s surveillance suppresses its citizens' freedom of speech and opinion. The longer this situation continues, the longer the people will be exposed to convenient news for the government, and the more they may lose access to objective “truth.” In addition, the enclosure of data will lock in the competitive advantage of countries with large populations that can secure a large amount of data. It will also limit the possibility of technological innovation to solve common human problems, such as COVID-19, by bringing together the world’s wisdom.
Splinternet overview and examples
According to Freedom House’s Internet Global Freedom Status survey, the percentage of countries rated Not Free in 2015 exceeded that of Free, and the percentage of Not Free is growing every year. The recent acceleration of techno-nationalism due to the ideological conflict between the U.S. and China is a cause for concern. The followings are examples of Splinternet in major countries.
- China: China has a long history of Internet surveillance and censorship to maintain the one-party dictatorship of the Communist Party. The use of social networking sites such as Twitter is prohibited.
- India: India banned the domestic use of typical Chinese apps such as TikTok, Baidu Map, etc. in June 2020 and added 54 apps in February 2022, including Tencent and Alibaba. These are in response to prolonged border disputes between India and China.
- Russia: Following its invasion of Ukraine, the EU declared the Kremlin’s media out, and Facebook and Microsoft have restricted access to Russian state media. In contrast with them, Russia has restricted access to FB and Twitter. Before the invasion of Ukraine, a law called Internet Sovereignty went into effect in Russia in 2019, forcing all data exchanged with Russian ISPs to be transferred through a special gateway server.
Going forward
Splinternet will continue to be an “attractive” option for states as a means of control over the Internet, which is not limited to dictatorships such as China and Russia. The EU, for example, has enforced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which regulates the release of personal information from within the EU to outside it. GDPR is for personal data protection, but it is also believed to reflect the EU’s desire to hold Global Standard for AI development. Indonesia, Vietnam, India, etc. have also introduced legislation requiring companies to set up servers in their countries.
The current most impactful issue must be the friction between the U.S. and China. For example, in November 2021, the U.S. passed a bill that prohibits telecommunications equipment and services designated by the FCC as a threat to national security from being newly certified for use in the U.S. . Under the bill, Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, and surveillance camera giant Hikevision, were designated as prohibited from certification. In addition, in submarine cables, through which approximately 99% of Internet communications are routed, the U.S. is also focusing on eliminating the involvement of Huawei, mainly in the infrastructure of allied countries. On the other hand, China has been tightening regulations on overseas listings of Chinese companies. To strictly monitor the cross-border transfer of data held by companies, Chinese authorities have required companies such as Alibaba and Didi, to undergo a security review.
It would be difficult to establish uniform rules to globally regulate national data protection because if some countries do not ratify rules, unfairness between those that have ratified and otherwise will arise. As a result, the effectiveness of international rules will not be ensured. However, it should be noted that Splinternet and the inability of individuals to access information freely are serious violations of their right to know, and there is a risk that they may be unwittingly educated to pledge blind loyalty to their own country. In addition to efforts at the national level, technological developments and digital literacy within us will be needed to counter Splinternets by countries.
Reference:
Techno-Nationalism: What Is It And How Will It Change Global Commerce?
Experts say Russia’s war on Ukraine is accelerating the ‘splinternet.’ But what is the splinternet?
China’s Great Firewall
