City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2016 Internet Access and Freedom: Constructing and Reacting to Transnational Norms about Internet Diffusion and Use Heather L. Katz The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1453 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] INTERNET ACCESS AND FREEDOM: CONSTRUCTING AND REACTING TO TRANSNATIONAL NORMS ABOUT INTERNET DIFFUSION AND USE by HEATHER L. KATZ A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2016 © 2016 HEATHER L. KATZ All Rights Reserved ii Internet Access and Freedom: Constructing and Reacting to Transnational Norms about Internet Diffusion and Use by Heather L. Katz This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. __________________________ __________________________ Date Professor George Andreopoulos Chair of Examining Committee __________________________ __________________________ Date Professor Alyson Cole Executive Officer Supervisory Committee Professor George Andreopoulos Professor Stephen Brier Professor Matthew Gold THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract Internet Access and Freedom: Constructing and Reacting to Transnational Norms about Internet Diffusion and Use by Heather L. Katz Advisor: George Andreopoulos This dissertation explores how demands for Internet access have taken shape in the international system and to what degree a right to access or the Freedom to Connect (F2C) can be said to exist. It also studies how states have responded to demands related to access and Internet penetration. A review of the literature reveals that most work concentrates on violations of users’ rights on the Web and bypasses questions about whether and how users can access this vital piece of technology. Utilizing discourse analysis, the study shows that the F2C is being framed by a diverse range of actors using traditional international platforms and through transnational means that include the medium itself. Nine case studies are conducted to gauge states’ reactions to demands for increased Internet penetration and meaningful access. It demonstrates that a state’s political culture and its preexisting relationship with human rights are the greatest predictors of what steps governments take in relationship to a right to access. Liberal states are quick to view access as either a right in itself or as enabler of other rights like expression and political participation, while illiberal states claim their sovereignty extends into cyberspace as a necessary exception to human rights. This dissertation investigates how access is related to larger issues of Internet freedom like monitoring and censorship. It also addresses how international relations theory can apply to questions about states’ relationships to information and communications technologies. Finally, it will help us understand how human rights are understood on the Web and how normative discourse and development are carried out on the Internet. iv Acknowledgements This study is the result of many people’s patient and thorough assistance. I would like to thank the members of this dissertation committee, George Andreopoulos, Stephen Brier, and Matthew Gold; particularly, I appreciate George Andreopoulos’s reading of numerous drafts and his assistance in shaping the theoretical implications of this work. I am forever indebted to my family for their thoughtful input and unwavering support. v Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ vii List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. viii List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1: Theoretical Framework and Literature ........................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Research Methodology ............................................................................................................. 28 Chapter 3: Framing the Freedom to Connect ............................................................................................. 38 Chapter 4: Free Cases ................................................................................................................................ 62 United States ........................................................................................................................................... 62 Brazil ........................................................................................................................................................ 98 The Philippines ...................................................................................................................................... 115 Chapter 5: Partly Free Cases.................................................................................................................... 131 Russia .................................................................................................................................................... 131 Mexico ................................................................................................................................................... 149 Indonesia ............................................................................................................................................... 164 Chapter 6: Not Free Cases ....................................................................................................................... 181 China ..................................................................................................................................................... 181 Cuba ...................................................................................................................................................... 207 Iran ......................................................................................................................................................... 221 Chapter 7: Comparison and Discussion ................................................................................................... 236 Appendix: Summary of Statistics and Policies on Internet Access from Selected Cases ........................ 274 Works Cited ............................................................................................................................................... 281 vi List of Tables Table 1 Reported Internet Speeds in US cities ........................................................................................... 71 Table 2 Brazil ICT Household Survey with Access to the Internet 2014 .................................................. 102 Table 3 Reported Internet Speeds in Brazilian cities ................................................................................ 104 Table 4 Internet penetration and sophistication in the Philippines ........................................................... 118 Table 5 Reported Internet speeds in Philippine cities ............................................................................... 120 Table 6 Reported Internet speeds in Russian cities ................................................................................. 139 Table 7 Dynamics of Internet penetration by Russian federal districts ..................................................... 139 Table 8 Dynamics of Internet penetration by Russian settlement type .................................................... 140 Table 9 Reported Internet speeds by Mexican city ................................................................................... 151 Table 10 Location of Internet access in Mexico ........................................................................................ 153 Table 11 Survey participants reporting on Internet use in the last 12 months, by Mexican state ............ 153 Table 12 Mexican survey participants reporting why they do not use the Internet ................................... 154 Table 13 Recorded Internet Speeds by Indonesian cities ........................................................................ 172 Table 14 Indonesia Broadband Plan Targets for 2019 ............................................................................. 178 Table 15 Reported Internet speeds in Chinese cities ............................................................................... 189 Table 16 Iranian Internet penetration by province .................................................................................... 226 Table 17 Reported Internet speeds in Iranian cities ................................................................................. 229 vii List of Figures Figure 1 Infographic of unnamed Russian broadband plan ........................................................................