Around the world, the internet ‘status quo’ is coming under fire. As a result, the open, global, shared internet as we know it is at risk. For many emerging and less developed economies, this is watershed moment, particularly as the stakes of internet governance become higher and higher and half of the world’s population remains offline.
This panel takes stock of the internet’s current fragmented landscape around the world, asking what experts really mean when they talk about the ‘splinternet’.
Building on this, the conversation amplifies conversations about and reactions to the ‘splinternet’ from emerging and less developed economies, addressing the impact of the ‘splinternet’ and mobilizing ICTs for socio-economic development.
Reflecting on the intersection of internet fragmentation and global connectivity, this discussion identifies the impact of the ‘splinternet’ on emerging economies and the trends that might emerge in response, looking ahead to its consequences for human rights, international security, and shared prosperity.
All in all, this conversation aims to move beyond binary approaches to models for internet governance, revealing instead a global, complex web of competing visions for future internet/s.
- What is the ‘splinternet’, and why is it a dangerous global trend in technology?
- What are the main competing models of internet governance around the world and in emerging economies?
- How are internet governance, connectivity, and socio-economic development inter-dependent?
- What could the future of the internet/s look like?
This event is the first in a series of discussions on Trends in Technology with the support of DXC Technologies, building on Chatham House’s running conversations about the future of internet governance.
