“Capacity‐building” in global Internet governance: The long‐term outcomes of “multistakeholderism”

“Capacity building” is a catch phrase from the UN development discourse. In recent years, it has entered the global Internet governance (IG) arena. At World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS 2003), “capacity building” was identified as a key public policy issue. It is proposed in this study that ‘capacity building’ be defined in a different manner – as the principal outcome of the experimental multistakeholder (MSH) process in global IG. The open and inclusive process of stakeholder deliberation leads to accumulation of intellectual capital, development of relational infrastructure for the domain (epistemic community), and emergence of common global consciousness. When cast as a capacity‐building process, MSH collaboration at global Internet governance arenas exhibits long‐term and large‐scale intangible outcomes. This study contributes to the understanding of the capacity‐building potential of MSH collaboration in IG. By employing concepts from International Relations and Organizational Learning, the author develops a model of tangible and intangible outcomes of MSH collaboration. This unique model can be used for studying the effects in other stakeholder venues of governing global resources and processes.     

The challenge of cyber attack deterrence

National security planners have begun to look beyond reactive, tactical cyber defense to proactive, strategic cyber defense, which may include international military deterrence. The incredible power of nuclear weapons gave birth to deterrence, a military strategy in which the purpose of armies shifted from winning wars to preventing them. Although cyber attacks per se do not compare to a nuclear explosion, they do pose a serious and increasing threat to international security. Real-world examples suggest that cyber warfare will play a lead role in future international conflicts. This article examines the two deterrence strategies available to nation-states (denial and punishment) and their three basic requirements (capability, communication, and credibility) in the light of cyber warfare. It also explores whether the two most challenging aspects of cyber attacks – attribution and asymmetry – will make cyber attack deterrence an impossible task.     

An ID card for the Internet – The new German ID card with “electronic proof of identity”

The personal ID card is a document carried by most Germans, but rarely used. This could change in the future: According to the new law on identification cards and electronic proof of identity (Gesetz über Personalausweise und den elektronischen Identitätsnachweis, PAuswG), the ID card, with its proof of identity, will gain a new functionality, making it applicable for diverse Internet transactions. Functionally, the electronic proof of identity corresponds to existing non-electronic personal proof of identity guidelines in legal and business connections. However, its concrete, technical application opens up many issues regarding contracts and data privacy laws. On both the legal and the technical level, the German approach departs from other European countries, as it strictly distinguishes the electronic proof of identity from the electronic signature function, which the new ID card also provides. It remains to be seen whether the various projects of the EU Member States will become legally and technically interoperable in the near future.     

‘Customary internet-ional law’: Creating a body of customary law for cyberspace. Part 1: Developing rules for transitioning custom into law

The shift in socio-economic transactions from realspace to cyberspace through the emergence of electronic communications and digital formats has led to a disjuncture between the law and practices relating to electronic transactions. The speed at which information technology has developed require a faster, more reactive and automatic response from the law that is not currently met by the existing law-making framework. This paper suggests the development of special rules to enable Internet custom to form legal norms to fulfill this objective.     

Internet domain names and the interaction with intellectual property

This is the fourth in a series of articles looking at the interaction between Internet domain names and intellectual property. It outlines the ICANN dispute resolution procedure for gTLDs whereby objectionable domain names can be transferred away from their registrants or cancelled. It also compares this to legal proceedings in the UK Courts and outlines a referral to the European Court of Justice on issues relating to a trade mark registration as the basis or legitimate interest for a .eu domain name registration.     

青少年网络成瘾的人格分析与矫治

网络成瘾导致青少年形成网络双重人格和各种人格障碍。研究发现,网络成瘾与特定人格具有相关性,并且有人格障碍的人更易产生网瘾。对此,可根据不同类型的网络成瘾所导致的人格障碍,采取精神分析疗法、行为疗法和认知疗法,对青少年网络成瘾人格进行矫治。     

互联网使用、社会资本与家庭捐赠行为——来自CFPS的经验证据

慈善捐赠是慈善事业高质量发展的基石,影响着第三次分配作用发挥。基于2014年、2016年和2018年三期CFPS调查数据,考察了互联网使用对家庭捐赠行为的影响效果及作用机制。当前互联网使用显著提高了家庭向亲属捐赠、其他人捐赠、社会捐赠的数额,同时互联网使用对上述三类捐赠的作用效果不同,具体而言对亲属捐赠的影响最大,对社会捐赠的影响次之,对其他人捐赠的影响相对较小。互联网使用通过丰富结构型社会资本和关系型社会资本提高家庭三类捐赠规模,并通过丰富认知型社会资本积累促进家庭向亲属捐赠。研究不仅深化了对“互联网+慈善”的理解,而且对促进公众参与慈善具有一定参考价值。     

Web Content Management Systems: An Analysis of Forensic Investigatory Challenges

With an increase in the creation and maintenance of personal websites, web content management systems are now frequently utilized. Such systems offer a low cost and simple solution for those seeking to develop an online presence, and subsequently, a platform from which reported defamatory content, abuse, and copyright infringement has been witnessed. This article provides an introductory forensic analysis of the three current most popular web content management systems available, WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla! Test platforms have been created, and their site structures have been examined to provide guidance for forensic practitioners facing investigations of this type. Result's document available metadata for establishing site ownership, user interactions, and stored content following analysis of artifacts including Wordpress's wp_users, and wp_comments tables, Drupal's “watchdog” records, and Joomla!'s _users, and _content tables. Finally, investigatory limitations documenting the difficulties of investigating WCMS usage are noted, and analysis recommendations are offered.     

Ownership of personal data in the Internet of Things

This article analyses, defines, and refines the concepts of ownership and personal data to explore their compatibility in the context of EU law. It critically examines the traditional dividing line between personal and non-personal data and argues for a strict conceptual separation of personal data from personal information. The article also considers whether, and to what extent, the concept of ownership can be applied to personal data in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT). This consideration is framed around two main approaches shaping all ownership theories: a bottom-up and top-down approach. Via these dual lenses, the article reviews existing debates relating to four elements supporting introduction of ownership of personal data, namely the elements of control, protection, valuation, and allocation of personal data. It then explores the explanatory advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches in relation to each of these elements as well as to ownership of personal data in IoT at large. Lastly, this article outlines a revised approach to ownership of personal data in IoT that may serve as a blueprint for future work in this area and inform regulatory and policy debates.     

Asia Pacific news

This column provides a country-by-country analysis of the latest legal developments, cases and issues relevant to the IT, media and telecommunications' industries in key jurisdictions across the Asia Pacific region. The articles appearing in this column are intended to serve as ‘alerts’ and are not submitted as detailed analyses of cases or legal developments.