April 19, 2026 10:03 am (IST)
Follow us:
World Economic Forum's report highlights risks that can lead to fragmentation of internet
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, Jan 23 (IBNS): Concern has been growing over the past two years that the global public Internet is in danger of splintering into a series of bordered cyberspace segments.
Troubling trends have emerged that could endanger the openness and consistency of the Internet’s underlying infrastructure and erect barriers to some of the content and transactions it conveys.
Unfortunately, there is no consensus about the nature, scope and potential impact of this Internet fragmentation, much less how the problem is best addressed.
To help build a shared understanding and advance the emerging conversation about this global challenge, the World Economic Forum’s Global Challenge on the Future of the Internet initiative invited three leading experts –William J. Drake, International Fellow and Lecturer, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Vinton Cerf,
Vice-President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, USA; and Wolfgang Kleinwachter, Professor for International Communication Policy and Regulation, University of Aarhus, Denmark – to produce a white paper that lays out the issues.
The paper maps the landscape of Internet fragmentation and cites 28 examples arising from technical, governmental and commercial trends.
The report concludes that meeting the challenge of Internet fragmentation will require vigilance, analysis and international cooperation involving all relevant stakeholders.
Over 2,500 leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, academia, media and the arts are participating in the 46th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20-23 January.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
PM Modi apologises for women’s bill failure, accuses opposition of ‘foeticide’ of rights
Sat, Apr 18 2026
New Delhi summons Iranian envoy after firing on 2 Indian vessels in Strait of Hormuz
Sat, Apr 18 2026
‘Similar incidents in Axis Bank’: Maharashtra CM's wife Amruta Fadnavis on TCS Nashik case
Sat, Apr 18 2026
PM Modi to address the nation at 8:30 pm tonight after women’s quota bill defeat in Lok Sabha
Sat, Apr 18 2026