Our World

Separated Internet...is it in the future?

The IGF (Internet Governance Forum) is a body set up by the UN that is a multi-stakeholder in internet dialogue. Recently, at the first ever IGF conference, it was announced that a Balkanisation of the internet could result in the future. This means that the interent could get split up into different sectors. Imagine: an American internet, a Chinese interent, a French internet, etc. Why would this happen? One, these separate internets would allow pages, web addresses, everything, to be in a country's native language. Chinese webpages still have addresses in Latin characters, making it very difficult for citizens who only know Chinese characters. The only way to prevent this separation of the internet is global cooperation in creating an internet that will work for everyone.

I think that a Balkanisation of the internet would be harmful for everyone. Right now, we can access information from almost anywhere in the world, thanks to the globalization of technology. One can visit anything from a Japanese web page to a European web page. If the internet becomes split up, I believe that it will be like de-globalization. Instead of connecting information, views, and many other aspects of culture through a global internet, we will be confined to an American only internet. Balkanisation, in my viewpoint, would be a devastating event for every global citizen. Does anyone see any positives to internet Balkanisation?

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posted by Anonymous @ 10/11/2006 09:02:00 PM