The Rise And Impact Of The Splinternet

During the advent of consumer computing, the internet was envisioned to connect people from all over the world and help lead towards a globalized society that transcends national borders. Close to two decades down the line, the world does seem to be more connected than ever before. Yet, the global internet as we know it is on the verge of splintering into smaller bubbles of national networks due to aggressive national policies, trade disputes, censorship, and dissatisfaction with big tech companies.  Dubbed as the ‘Splinternet’ by some experts, this digital Balkanisation has far-reaching consequences that impact international unions, data enterprises and individual consumers alike. While this is not entirely new, with nations like China isolating themselves from the global inte