INTERNET REGULATION PROCESS MODEL - THE EFFECT OF SOCIETIES, COMMUNITIES, AND GOVERNMENTS

The Internet is often seen as borderless and unmanageable and, therefo re, not fully understandable. Starting from the assumption that it can be understood, we begin an attempt to organize the Internet by charac terizing it as a behavior space in which groups-categorized as societi es, communities, and governments-interact. We emphasize the utility of organizing the Internet and focus specifically on attempts by societi es, communities, and governments to regulate the flow of information. We posit an Internet regulation process model that, we believe, explai ns most of the efforts to regulate the Internet. In addition, we provi de some insight into the relationships between and within the various groups involved. Our conclusions center on the observation that politi cal power (especially Western political power) has been a defining fac tor in the regulation of the Internet as governments have played a pro minent role in regulatory action.