Internet Governance Modality

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:

The internet is a public domain and a tool for interconnection which is very hard to govern. Even in the beginning of the developing the internet, the developers does not think that, it would be complicated as it is today. What was in their mind is to construct a media or tool in order to enabling the access to everyone or at least able communicate to several people and objects with the information, messaging, videos, and pictures.

We all are knew that internet born in about 42 year ago, in which starting from September 2, 1969 whereas at the first time in the human history that, two computers were talk. In about two month of period, these two computers are able to send a message. In the following two years, the first email messages sent.  Moreover, twenty years later, “Berners-Lee (1989) had invented the www which is in stand for World Wide Web”. I think by saying the history of internet above, there is no indication that this media is built on the purpose.

It is taken another twenty years to see the revolution of the information. In this era, the internet can be seen as a global commodity and it has interconnection of the government entities, individuals, house-holds, and the industries and commercials.

In order to focus on the how the internet will be regulated, I do think that, we must focusing three main factors. They are: the infrastructure which is talking about telecommunication as media or networking, the contain and the system which is talking about the art of work or coding or in other word the intellectual property, and lastly is the law of the country or using international law. However, it can be differentiate into five areas of thoughts.

a.    “The area of cyberspace and spontaneous ordering”: this is a significant difficult part to govern. By nature of the communication itself, in which to interact with people, with each own social networks, and with it is own venture of romance concept, and the transaction of the information become uncontrolled. Sometime, it is misleading, miss use of the information, etc. In this sense however, law can’t apply because geographical location of the person maybe in different countries. Moreover, in those countries that have law on the information and technology (IT) or even it is allow to copy somebody intellectual property. In this small window, if everyone has to responsible with their own acts then it would be more than facilitates the internet governance. The computing professionals have to conceive to the others that, cyberspace are place for the purpose and distinct place between real world and cyberspace itself.

b.    “The area of transnational institutions and international organizations”: This is more or less close to the idea of internet cyberspace in which can be control with traditional institutions rather than by national governance that unable to control. The internet communication has direct transaction and interacts with internationals or dealing with a cross border. In this sense, there is a window to regulate by using several institutions that exist namely “IETF which stand for Internet Engineer Task Force, ICANN which is stand for Internet Corporation for Assigned Name and Number, WIPO which stand for World Intellectual Property Organization, and ITU which is stand for International Telecommunications Union.”

c.    “The area code and Internet architecture:” This is another determinant factor that the architecture and code are the nature of the internet operation. In other words the way how internet operates is base on code and architecture which related to the software and hardware. Therefore code and architecture of the internet become an important and integral part of the system in which can be regulated. In this case especially to decide which are the applications and protocols that can be used or allow to used in order to build and the way of the operating of the internet.

d.    “The area of national governments and law:” In this window we can define in two categories namely internet architecture and content of the internet. Base on the experience it is difficult for any nations to force internet architecture to change the way it designed. I think each country must be come indirect or direct member to several organizations which are dealing with internet, for instance ICANN and IETF, WIPO and ITU. This can be make life easy to regulate the internet. In terms of internet contain, it easily determine by any country base on norms, ethical, and moral. Nation can be protect Intellectual Properties, regulate defamation, and determine what information can be disclosed and which information treat as private.

e.    “The area of market regulation and economics:” In this window quite difficult the view of the country to clear. Let take example of Domain Name Service (DNS). How each country cans can organize name convention. There should be an association or body to control naming and coordinate with ICANN. In this sense then we can able to regulate market and economic of the internet.

Conclusion: With these five thoughts or modalities above, I do believe that, we can able to govern internet. Therefore, we can guaranty and improve the society health and to protect the society from the internet crimes.

References list:

• Adams, A.A. & McCrindle, R.J. (2008) Pandora’s box: Social and professional issues of the information age. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Ch 6, P.173-190
• Solum, L.B. (2008) Models of Internet governance. Illinois Public Law Research Paper No. 07-25. [On-line] Available from: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1136825     (Accessed Date: February 2, 2011)
•  Internet Engineering Task Force (2011) [On-line]. Available from:  http://www.ietf.org/about/   (Accessed Date: February 2, 2011)
•  ICANN's Fellowship Program - Making a Difference [On-line]. Available from:   http://www.icann.org/en/fellowships/  (Accessed Date: February 2, 2011) 
• The element of Internet [On-line]. Available from:   http://www.afake.com/intro/sld023.htm (Accessed Date: February 2, 2011)
•  Invention of Internet [On-line]. Available from:   http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=4316 (Accessed Date: February 2, 2011)