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'''Internet Fragmentation''' is the idea that the Internet may be in danger of splitting into a series of cyberspace segments, thus endangering its connectivity.<ref name="aah">[https://www.weforum.org/reports/internet-fragmentation-an-overview/ Internet Fragmentation: An Overview], WEForum.org. Published 2016 January 23. Retrieved 2016 April 18.</ref>
'''Internet Fragmentation''' is the idea that the Internet may be in danger of splitting into a series of cyberspace segments, thus endangering its connectivity.<ref name="aah">[https://www.weforum.org/reports/internet-fragmentation-an-overview/ Internet Fragmentation: An Overview], WEForum.org. Published 2016 January 23. Retrieved 2016 April 18.</ref>
==History==
During the 2015 World Economic Forum, Internet fragmentation was noted as one of the primary concerns facing the future of the Internet due to trends in technological developments, government policies, and commercial practices. Nonetheless, there needed to be a more widespread consensus regarding its nature or scope.<ref name="wef">[http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FII_Internet_Fragmentation_An_Overview_2016.pdf Internet Fragmentation], WEForum.org. Published January 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.</ref>


During the 2015 [[World Economic Forum]], Internet fragmentation was noted as one of the primary concerns facing the future of the internet, due to trends in technological developments, government policies, and commercial practices. Nonetheless, there was no widespread consensus as to its nature or scope.<ref name="wef">[http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FII_Internet_Fragmentation_An_Overview_2016.pdf Internet Fragmentation], WEForum.org. Published 2016 January. Retrieved 2016 April 18.</ref>
The launch of the World Economic Forum's multi-year Future of the Internet <ref>[https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GCP_Future_of_the_Internet_pager.pdf Future of the Interne] </ref> (FII) considers Internet fragmentation as one of the primary topics warranting exploration, in the context of the FII's Governance on the Internet project.<ref name="wef"></ref>


The launch of the World Economic Forum's multi-year [[Future of the Internet Initiative]] (FII) considers Internet fragmentation as one of the primary topics warranting exploration, in the context of the FII's Governance on the Internet project.<ref name="wef"></ref>
In the early 2020s, the issue of Internet fragmentation surfaced again, this time primarily with a focus on managing jurisdiction and legislative issues as governments try to regulate [[Data Privacy]], big tech's reach, CSAM, [[cybercrime]], and [[DNS Abuse]] without understanding the technical aspects of [[Internet Governance]] or trying to harmonize their initiatives first.<ref>[https://icann.zoom.us/rec/play/z-IIZtLrUY1_Gq_l7PyRZ8pna5_9pAm_Ek6lE0Hq_3WKfs6zJXE4ativBL7S7304nXsI8_4LsiIQqKuD.PO3kA7dCG84ilnVs?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=-iU9tCESSpK2CHF40LSYag.1643736262198.efe2ce77561874584c81f3a6d46427b4&_x_zm_rhtaid=284 Patrik Faltstrom and Chris Mondini, Fragmentation of the Internet? – Technical and political aspects, Nordic Forum January 2022]</ref>


==Nature of Fragmentation==
==Nature of Fragmentation==
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In each case, fragmentation may vary greatly according to a number of dimensions or attributes. Four primary ones include:<ref name="wef"></ref>
In each case, fragmentation may vary greatly according to a number of dimensions or attributes. Four primary ones include:<ref name="wef"></ref>


* '''Occurrence:'''' Whether a type of fragmentation exists or is merely a potential
* '''Occurrence:''' Whether a type of fragmentation exists or is merely a potential
* '''Intentionality:''' Whether fragmentation is the result of deliberate action or an unintended consequence
* '''Intentionality:''' Whether fragmentation is the result of deliberate action or an unintended consequence
* '''Impact:''' Whether fragmentation is deep, structural and configurative of large swaths of activity or even the Internet as a whole, or rather more shallow, malleable and applicable to a narrowly bounded set of processes, transactions and actors
* '''Impact:''' Whether fragmentation is deep, structural and configurative of large swaths of activity or even the Internet as a whole, or rather more shallow, malleable and applicable to a narrowly bounded set of processes, transactions and actors
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===Governmental Fragmentation===
===Governmental Fragmentation===
Barrier between nations or national segmentation that could create barriers in the way the internet functions. Six primary issues include content and censorship; e-commerce
Barrier between nations or national segmentation that could create barriers in the way the Internet functions. Six primary issues include content and censorship; e-commerce
and trade; national security; privacy and data protection; data localization; and fragmentation as an overarching national strategy.<ref name="weg"></ref>
and trade; national security; privacy and data protection; data localization; and fragmentation as an overarching national strategy.<ref name="wef"></ref>


Within these categories, 10 kinds of fragmentation of varying degrees of significance are identified:<ref name="wef"></ref>
Within these categories, 10 kinds of fragmentation are identified:<ref name="wef"></ref>
# Filtering and blocking websites, social networks or other resources offering undesired contents
# Filtering and blocking websites, social networks or other resources offering undesired contents
# Attacks on information resources offering undesired contents
# Attacks on information resources offering undesired contents
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===Commercial Fragmentation===
===Commercial Fragmentation===
A variety of critics have charged that certain commercial practices by
Fragmentation under commercial practices often pertain to the organization of specific markets and digital spaces. Five main issue areas include peering and standardization;
technology companies also may contribute to Internet fragmentation. The
network neutrality; walled gardens; geo-localization and geo-blocking; and infrastructure-related intellectual property protection.
nature of the alleged fragmentation often pertains to the organization of
specific markets and digital spaces and the experiences of users that choose
to participate in them, but sometimes it can impact the technical infrastructure
and operational environments for everyone. Whether or not one considers
commercial practices as meriting the same level of concern as, say, data
localization is of course a matter of perspective. Certainly there are significant
concerns from the perspectives of many Internet users, activists and
competing providers in global markets. As such, the issues are on the table in
6
the growing global dialogue about fragmentation, and they are therefore
discussed here.
Five issue-areas are reviewed, including: peering and standardization;
network neutrality; walled gardens; geo-localization and geo-blocking; and
infrastructure-related intellectual property protection. Within these categories,
10 kinds of fragmentation of varying degrees of significance are identified:
1. Potential changes in interconnection agreements
2. Potential proprietary technical standards impeding interoperability in the
IoT
3. Blocking, throttling, or other discriminatory departures from network
neutrality
4. Walled gardens
5. Geo-blocking of content
6. Potential use of naming and numbering to block content for the purpose of
intellectual property protection


==References==
Within these categories, 10 kinds of fragmentation are identfied:<ref name="wef"></ref>
# Potential changes in interconnection agreements
# Potential proprietary technical standards impeding interoperability in the IoT
# Blocking, throttling, or other discriminatory departures from network neutrality
# Walled gardens
# Geo-blocking of content
# Potential use of naming and numbering to block content for the purpose of intellectual property protection
 
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Concepts]]
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