Along with its war in Ukraine, Russia’s active pursuit of a “sovereign internet” has accelerated both the reshaping of the international order and the splintering of the global and open internet. In fact, although the internet was initially envisioned as a borderless digital realm, more and more countries are now seeking to assert their sovereignty by building their own segmented internet infrastructure and introducing their own regulations.
The fracturing of the global internet is already profoundly impacting how people communicate, access information, and express themselves freely. In this discussion, we will assess the risks that this fragmentation poses for global cooperation. Can Russia become a model of internet control for other countries? What measures should the West take to sustain and enhance the future of a global and open internet?
Speakers:
Roya Ensafi, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan (online)
Konstantinos Komaitis, Non-Resident Fellow of the Digital Forensics Research Lab, The Atlantic Council; Non-Resident Fellow and Senior Researcher, The Lisbon Council
Scott Malcomson, Author of Splinternet: How Geopolitics and Commerce Are Fragmenting the World Wide Web
Carolina Vendil Pallin, Deputy Research Director of the Russia and Eurasia Studies Program, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI)
Chair:
Alena Epifanova, Research Fellow, Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
This event will be followed by a reception.
We kindly ask you to register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining in person or via Zoom. You will find information related to data processing at https://dgap.org/en/zoom. Please note that this event will be recorded.
