Should The Internet Be Regulated: Exploring Possibilites to Follow

Should the Internet be regulated? In this essay I will shortly answer this question with supportive arguments around potential regulations on the digital landscape.

According to Lawrence Lessig the Internet can be regulated looking such factors as: architectures of control, identity and authentication, 'who did what, where'. The internet’s architectures are not possible to stay or remain the way it is, it can be changed and be redesigned to control and regulate certain behaviors. To know the who is using it, what is happening and where is it taking place. For example, the scenario between University of Chicago and Harvard University shows exactly how the internet can be regulated in its initial stage of design. The Harvard University in the first place regulates its network and control it with authentication and verification process in the design, makes it easier to identify any access and monitor activities. Another point is if we look at the network address can equally makes identification possible. The IP address can point out any access in the network by locating where the access is coming from which will certainly makes internet easily regulated.

If talks about identity and authentication, when we identify the users of the internet, we can be able to know some information about the users which includes personal information of the users and other characteristics. Authentication is to confirm the identity of the user which can be done technologies like biometrics (face recognition, fingerprints, eye scan). Using cookies also can authenticate users in a webpage, Technology for authentication like Single Sign-On (SSO) permits a person to sign on a network only once without being authenticated later. Another new technology is the wallet architecture which will lead to the development of Identity Metasystem, a new layer in the internet protocol with features for identification and authentication in the network. The identity layer will make the internet more secured and more reliable in regulating. The government will also benefit from this layer by controlling and monitoring the internet.

Some of the Reasons Why the Internet Should Be Regulated

Nowadays, people conduct so many unlawful behaviors such as pornography on the internet which not supposed to be done, if these acts are left unregulated there will be a great problem. The should be regulations and control upon such bad behaviors done online. Secondly, due to the increase in many online crimes, cyber-attacks and other fraudulent activities that also needs to be prevented from taking place or reduced by regulating the internet. Thirdly, to ensure privacy and data protection among users and to protect children also from accessing illegal webpages by restricting their access.

• Harmful content like hate speech, circulation of false information, unwanted videos and pictures can be reduced when controlled.
• Election integrity can be attained when the internet is controlled.
• Data portability will also be achieved if the internet is regulated.
• Regulating the internet will also improve the national security by imposing laws, regulation and punishments in the violation of such laws.
• It can also reduce activities like human trafficking, by identifying their webpages and bring down their concealment.
• Regulating the internet can establish a way to endorse common sense limits among its user.
• It will also reduce the rate of identity theft.

Conclusion

In my opinion, it is possible for government, corporation, and the population in general to regulate the internet. The internet can be controlled and regulated with laws. To regulate means the ability of the government to coordinate, control and moderate the nature and performance with its power. This can be applied to the internet which is a global network, can be regulated by the government because the government has the capacity to control electronic activities and monitor its usage. Even though according to others it will be very difficult to regulate the internet looking at its architecture, but certain feature should be examine: who is using it, where, and what they are doing.

References

• L. Lawrence, Code Version 2.0, Newyork: Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Books Group , 2006.
• M. Zuckerberg, 'Four Ideas to Regulate the Internet,' Facebook, 30 March 2019. [Online]. Available: https://about.fb.com/news/2019/03/four-ideas-regulate-internet/.
• Green Garage, '15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Censorship,' Green Garage, March 2019. [Online]. Available: https://greengarageblog.org/15-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-internet-censorship.
• Vittana Finance Blog, '13 Internet Censorship Pros and Cons,' Vittana, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://vittana.org/13-internet-censorship-pros-and-cons.
• National Population Commission, 'National Population Commission Act'.
• Federal Goverment of Nigeria, Constitution Of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja, 1999.
• Madubuike-ekwe and mbadugha, 'obstacles to the implementation of the freedom of information,' 2011.
• Oserogho Association, 'New Wire Tapping, CyberCrimes & Anti-Terrorism Bill In Nigeria.,' January 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.oseroghoassociates.com/articles/94-new-wire-tapping-cyber-crimes-anti-terrorism-bill-in-nigeria.