The State Controls the Internet: Mapping the Global Ownership of Network Infrastructures in Democratic and Authoritarian States

Tuesday - April 2 2024, 06:36 UTC - 7 months ago

A recent study by a German-American research team has revealed that authoritarian states control the internet through the ownership of network infrastructures. Transit networks, which are invisible to ordinary users, are used for surveillance and censorship. The study also shows a pattern of technological cooperation between authoritarian states, posing challenges to privacy and information flow.

In today's digital age, our lives are increasingly dependent on the internet. It has become an integral part of our daily routines, from communication to business transactions. However, what many of us may not realize is that our online activities are constantly being monitored by the state. We often associate state surveillance of the internet with censorship or manipulation of information, but there is a deeper level of control that authoritarian states have over the internet – through the ownership of network infrastructures.

In a recent study published in PNAS Nexus, a team of researchers from Germany and the U.S. led by the University of Konstanz, examined the ownership of internet service providers (ISPs) in democratic and authoritarian states. The team created a global map of ISP ownership, revealing a stark contrast between authoritarian and democratic countries.

The researchers found that in authoritarian states, the most influential ISPs are predominantly state-owned, while in democracies they are largely privatized. This means that the state has direct control over the communication routes for internet data traffic. Furthermore, when authoritarian states have foreign ISPs, they are usually owned by other authoritarian states.

But why is this ownership of ISPs so significant? The study highlights the role of "transit networks" – the networks that forward data traffic onwards. These networks are invisible to ordinary internet users, making them a perfect tool for surveillance and censorship without being held accountable for it. The researchers found that in authoritarian states, a significantly higher proportion of data traffic is routed through state-owned transit networks, compared to democratic countries where the most influential transit networks are mainly owned by private providers.

Moreover, the study also reveals a pattern of technological cooperation between authoritarian states. In many cases, foreign ISPs operating in authoritarian countries are also owned by other authoritarian states. This goes to show that the international activities of ISPs are not just driven by business interests, but by political agendas.

This cooperation between authoritarian states has alarming implications for privacy and surveillance. By circumventing more liberal privacy standards, these countries can easily monitor their own citizens and even extend their surveillance to international relationships. It also raises concerns about the flow of information and potential censorship.

In conclusion, the ownership of network infrastructures is a crucial factor in state control of the internet. The research from the University of Konstanz sheds light on the differences between democratic and authoritarian states, and highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the global landscape of internet surveillance.