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The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on State Sovereignty The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on State Sovereignty An Analysis of the Cyber Utopian and Cyber Skeptic Perspectives Sara Mishra Senior Honors Thesis Interdisciplinary Studies Tufts University, 2012 Mishra 2 Contents Extended Contents……………………..……………………………………….............………….................2 Preface………………………………………………..………………………………………........................5 Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………...…………………….........7 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..……….................9 Problem………………………………………………………………………..........………………9 Significance………………………………………………………………………...……………...12 Structure………………………………………..………………………………………………….14 Definitions…………………………………………………………………………………………17 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….…………..........21 Background Literature………………………………..…………………………………………………......24 Networks Background…...………………………………………………………………………..24 Cyber Utopians Background……………...……………………………….…...……………...…..38 Cyber Skeptics Background……………...……………………………….…...……………...…...51 Cyber Utopian Evidence………………………………..…………………………………………………...69 Information…….……..…...……………...……………..................................................................69 Coordination…….……..…...……………...……………................................................................86 Activism…….……..…...……………...……………........................................................86 Assistance…….……..…...……………...……………...................................................111 Cyber Skeptic Evidence……………………………………………………………….........……………...124 Control……………………………………………………………………………………………124 Censorship……………………………..……………….…………………………….....124 Influence…………………………………………………………………………….....141 Force………………………………………………………...………………….………...………154 Discussion……………………………………………………………………...………...………...............168 Conclusion………………………………………………………………..………………………..............177 Bibliography…………………………………………………………..…………..…………….…............184 Appendix A…………………………………………………………...…....…………..………..……........205 Acronyms………………………………………………………………………………….....…….............207 Mishra 3 Extended Contents Preface………………………………………………..………………………………………........................5 Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………...…………………….........7 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..……….................9 Problem………………………………………………………………………..........………………9 Significance………………………………………………………………………...……………...12 Structure………………………………………..………………………………………………….14 Definitions…………………………………………………………………………………………17 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….…………..........21 Background Literature………………………………..…………………………………………………......24 Networks Background…...………………………………………………………………………..24 Network Theory..……………………………………………………… ………………..………………………24 ICT Networks..……………………………………………………………… …………..……………………....26 Physical Layer..…………………………………………… …………………..……….….………..27 Logical Layer..……………………………………… …………………………..………………..…27 Hierarchies..………………………………………… ……………………………..……….…….…28 Information Layer..…………………………………… ……………………………………...….….29 User Layer..………………………………………………… …………………………………....….30 Internet Governance..………………………………………………… …………………………………………31 ICT Development……………………………………….……………………………………….……………….33 International Networks..…………………………………………… …………...……………………………….34 Network Limitations. .………………………………………………… …………………...…………………...36 Cyber Utopians Background……………...……………………………….…...……………...…..38 International Relations Foundation…...…………………………………………..…...……………...…………38 History…...…………………………………………..…...……………...……………...……………………….42 Basic Arguments…...…………………………………………..…...……………...……………...……………..43 Networks…………………………………..…...……………...……………...………………………………….44 Information…………………………………..…...……………...……………...……………………………….46 Coordination…………………………………..…...……………...……………...……………………………...49 Cyber Skeptics Background……………...……………………………….…...……………...…...51 International Relations Foundation…………………………………..…...……………...……………................52 History…………………………………..…...……………...……………............................................................54 Basic Arguments…………………………………..…...……………...……………............................................56 Hierarchy…………………………………..…...……………...……………........................................................58 Control…………………………………..…...……………...……………...........................................................61 Influence…………………………………..…...……………...……………........................................................65 Force…………………………………..…...……………...……………..............................................................66 Cyber Utopian Evidence………………………………..…………………………………………………...69 Information…….……..…...……………...……………..................................................................69 Access…………………………………..…...…………….....…………..............................................................70 Gatekeepers…………………………………..…...……………...……………....................................................71 Standards…………………………………..…...……………...……………........................................................72 Social Media…………………………………..…...……………...……………..................................................73 Instantaneous Reporting…………………………………..…...……………...…………….................................74 Citizen Journalism…………………………………..…...……………...…………….........................................76 Counter Narratives (Egypt) …………………………………..…...……………...……………...........................76 Accountability (China) …………………………………..…...……………...……………..................................77 Transparency (United States) …………………………………..…...……………...……………........................78 Cyber Utopian Perspective…………………………………..…...……………...……………............................80 Cyber Skeptic Perspective…………………………………..…...……………...…………….............................81 Integrated Perspective…………………………………..…...……………...……………....................................83 Transition…………………………………..…...……………...…………….......................................................84 Coordination…….……..…...……………...……………................................................................86 Activism…….……..…...……………...……………........................................................86 Public Sphere…..…...……………...……………...............................................................................87 Strong and Weak Ties…..…...……………...……………..................................................................89 Political Protest (Tunisia) ………...……………................................................................................90 Political Protest (Egypt) ………...……………...................................................................................92 Political Protest (United States) ………...…………….......................................................................98 Cyber Skeptic Perspective………...……………..............................................................................100 Cyber Utopian Perspective………...…………….............................................................................102 Cyber Skeptic Rebuttal………...……………...................................................................................106 Mishra 4 Integrated Perspective………...…………….....................................................................................107 Transition………...……………........................................................................................................109 Assistance…….……..…...……………...……………...................................................111 Networked Organizations…...…………….......................................................................................111 Ushahidi Platform Background…...……………...............................................................................113 Environmental Crisis (Haiti) …...……………..................................................................................113 Political Crisis (Libya) …...……………...........................................................................................115 Ushahidi Platform Challenges…...……………................................................................................116 Decentralized Structure…...……………..........................................................................................118 Cyber Utopian Perspective…...…………….....................................................................................118 Cyber Skeptic Perspective…...……………......................................................................................119 Integrated Perspective…...…………….............................................................................................120 Transition…...……………................................................................................................................122 Cyber Skeptic Evidence……………………………………………………………….........……………...124 Control……………………………………………………………………………………………124 Censorship……………………………..……………….…………………………….....124 Dictator’s Dilemma (Egypt) …...……………..................................................................................125 Censorship Technology (China) …...……………............................................................................127 Intermediary Control (China) …...……………................................................................................129 Self-Censorship (China) …...…………….........................................................................................130 Liberal Regime Censorship (United States) …...……………..........................................................131 Liberal Regime Censorship (United Kingdom) …...…………….....................................................133 Circumvention Tools…...……………..............................................................................................135
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