DeepSeek Disruption

DeepSeek is being portrayed as a wakeup call, but it seems American policy makers and tech companies are hitting the snooze button. That may not be the right metaphor. They are alarmed, very much so. But instead of waking up, getting out of bed and questioning what they have been...

Embarrassing the Future: TikTok Decision Turns on Data Collection

Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling upholding the TikTok ban. The Justices clearly did not understand the full implications of this decision, and admitted as much in the opening paragraphs of the decision:   “...we are conscious that the cases before us involve new technologies with transformative...

The Debate on Sovereignty in Cyberspace

The contradiction between state sovereignty and cyberspace is the fundamental "Internet governance" issue of our times. Four years ago, I published a scholarly manifesto "Against sovereignty in cyberspace"in the International Studies Review. It was a systematically reasoned explanation of why cyberspace is a global commons analogous to the high seas,...

Report on the UN Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), the annual program of issue-oriented interactions hosted by the United Nations, has formed a stable and solidaristic community. IGF is still the most diverse and relatively open, bottom-up vehicle for converging a global community focused on digital policy issues – and it has become clear...

Why telcos should refrain from demanding a ‘fair share’ from OTTs

The concept of a ‘fair share’ will likely lead to additional costs for consumers which can have significant economic and operational consequences. With a staggering 900 million Internet users, India has seen a transformation in the communication and media ecosystem. By enabling user-generated content, real-time interaction, and personalised user experiences,...

The significance of ANI versus OpenAI

In the evolving landscape of digital news dissemination, there is a symbiotic yet contentious relationship between news publishers and technology companies. Publishers depend on these platforms for hosting content and traffic referrals, which they monetise through advertising. Technology platforms, such as Meta, act as intermediaries, driving traffic to news websites...