Informed by theories of international relations, this book assesses global political conflicts over cyberspace and the difficulties in developing a more centralized, intergovernmental governance system. It also analyzes the unique governance challenges that the Internet presents, both in terms of technical problems and control over content.

• Reviews how the Internet works and reveals how Internet governance has evolved over time, both at the regional and international levels

• Enables readers to understand that Internet governance is not an esoteric topic of interest only to academics, but one that profoundly affects how our personal information is collected, used, and controlled

• Provides an assessment of the consequences of following alternative paths to realize global Internet governance