Equality as a Principle of the Networked World? An Exploratory Search for ‘Cyber-Equality’ in the Field of Internet Governance

Nula Frei

doi:10.17104/0044-2348-2021-3-627

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- 581–584 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 581–584
- 585–596 Comment 585–596
  - Environmental Injustice: The (Unaddressed) Case of Toxic Waste Disposal in the Global South Elif Askin Elif Askin
- 597–866 Abhandlungen 597–866
  - 597–600 International Law and the Internet Angelo Jr Golia, Matthias C. Kettemann, Raffaela Kunz Angelo Jr Golia, Matthias C. Kettemann, Raffaela Kunz 597–600
  - 601–626 Integrity in the ‘Infinite Space’ – New Frontiers for International Law Rolf H. Weber Rolf H. Weber 601–626
  - 627–650 Equality as a Principle of the Networked World? An Exploratory Search for ‘Cyber-Equality’ in the Field of Internet Governance Nula Frei Nula Frei 627–650
  - 651–676 Sovereignty Fever: The Territorial Turn of Global Cyber Order Chien-Huei Wu Chien-Huei Wu 651–676
  - 677–700 The Role of the Internet in International Law-Making, Implementation and Global Governance Annalisa Ciampi Annalisa Ciampi 677–700
  - 701–732 Cybersecurity and Cybercrime: Dynamic Application versus Norm-Development Antonio Segura-Serrano Antonio Segura-Serrano 701–732
  - 733–754 Internet and eDiplomacy: ‘Traditional’ Diplomatic Law in the Digital Era Stefano Dominelli Stefano Dominelli 733–754
  - 755–780 Microsoft Corp. v. United States and the ‘Hot Pursuit’: A Case Study Against the Application of the Law of the Sea into the Cyberspace Patricia A. Vargas-León Patricia A. Vargas-León 755–780
  - 781–816 Responsible Business in a Digital World – What’s International Law Got to Do With It? Christine Kaufmann Christine Kaufmann 781–816
  - 817–840 Cyberspace as an Example of Self-Organisation from a Network Perspective Cäcilia Maria Hermes Cäcilia Maria Hermes 817–840
  - 841–866 Interpretive Community 2.0: How Blogs and Twitter Change International Law Scholarship Ralph Janik Ralph Janik 841–866
- 867–886 Buchbesprechungen 867–886
  - 867–872 Goeble, Thilo: Freiraum oder Herrschaftsgebiet. Menschenrecht auf Zugang und völkerrechtliche Prinzipien als Schranken staatlichen Handelns im Internet Clara Rauchegger, Janine Prantl Clara Rauchegger, Janine Prantl 867–872
  - 873–878 Amoroso, Daniele: Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Law Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan 873–878
  - 879–886 Delerue, François: Cyber Operations and International Law Rachel F. Behring Rachel F. Behring 879–886
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Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht / Heidelberg Journal of International Law , page 627 - 650

Equality as a Principle of the Networked World? An Exploratory Search for ‘Cyber-Equality’ in the Field of Internet Governance

Autoren

Nula Frei

DOI
- doi.org/10.17104/0044-2348-2021-3-627
- ISSN: 0044-2348
- ISSN online: 2942-3562
Abstract

Even though equality is a fundamental and transversal norm of international law, not much has been written about its role for cyberspace. The utopia of the 'inventors' of the internet was to create an open, transparent, and democratic space, and early proponents of cyberfeminism even believed that gender differences in general would disappear by improving technology. However, a look at the status quo suggests that cyberspace might currently be even farther away from an egalitarian ideal than the offline world. While openness, universality, and bottom-up procedures, inter alia, are widely accepted as foundational values of cyberspace and of internet governance, it seems that equality has not yet been discussed in depth, despite the apparent signs of what can be called 'cyber-inequality'. This article undertakes a first step in this direction. It critically examines cyber-equality, i.e., the status quo of equality in cyberspace, and analyses several key documents of internet governance from an equality perspective. This analysis allows for some preliminary conclusions, and to lay a foundation for future research, which will be outlined in the final section of this article. The article reveals that there is currently no consistent or comprehensive approach to addressing equality issues in internet governance and that much more research will be needed to better understand the topic and to embed equality considerations in internet governance.
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