February was a very fruitful month for REMIT researchers at Maastricht University: the February edition of Atlantisch Perspectief featured another REMIT policy brief, this one by Mariëlle Wijermars, discussing the state of Russia’s internet and digital sovereignty.
Mariëlle says on the article: “REMIT aims to understand how we might ‘reignite’ multilateralism in and through the regulation of digital technologies. To do so, it is important to gain better insight into the discourses and practices of key states who seek to shape global governance in this domain. Russia is one of the most outspoken proponents of reaffirming state sovereignty over the Internet. Its policies to create a ‘sovereign’ Russian Internet have been widely covered over the past years. In my piece, I aimed to show the importance of also looking at the reality on the ground. Reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and services is complex and costly and, in some cases, may not be possible at all. Analysing Russia’s confrontations with US social media platforms, I demonstrate how the reality of Russia’s ‘sovereign internet’ is more complicated than headlines about a ‘digital Iron Curtain’ would suggest. The case sheds light on the limitations to the push for digital sovereignty, as well as on the potential of interdependence to be leveraged for political ends.”
Abstract
Russia is an outspoken proponent of reaffirming state sovereignty over the Internet. Yet, the reality of Russia’s ‘sovereign internet’ is more complicated than headlines about a ‘digital Iron Curtain’ would suggest.
Full citation
Wijermars, M., “How ‘sovereign’ is Russia’s internet?”, Atlantisch Perspectief, 1/2024, https://www.atlcom.nl/artikel-atlantisch-perspectief/how-sovereign-is-russias-internet/
See whole edition of the Atlantisch Perspectief‘s Technology and Geopolitics issue!