1 Access Contested
Toward the Fourth Phase of Cyberspace Controls
Ronald Deibert, John Palfrey, Rafal Rohozinski, and Jonathan Zittrain
November 2009, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. At a large conference facility in the middle
of a desert landscape, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is in full swing. Thousands
of attendees from all over the world, lanyards draped over their chests, bags stuffed
with papers and books, mingle with each other while moving in and out of conference
rooms. Down one hallway of the massive complex, a large banner is placed outside a
conference room where a book launch is about to begin. The OpenNet Initiative (ONI)
is holding a small reception to mark the release of its latest volume, Access Controlled:
The Shaping of Power, Rights, and Rule in Cyberspace . As part of the planned proceedings,
members of OpenNet Asia plan to show clips of a short documentary they have produced on information controls across Asia.
Before the event gets under way, an offi cial from the United Nations — the forum ’ s
host — asks to speak to the ONI ’ s Ron Deibert. The offi cial is upset about the distribution of small pamphlets that invite attendees to the book reception, in particular about
the reference to Tibet on the back (which he encircles in pen to make his point). He
asks that no more such pamphlets be distributed. Deibert reluctantly agrees, since the
event is about to begin.
But one incident leads quickly to another. An ONI research associate is now carrying
the large banner back from the hallway, this time escorted by the same offi cial, another
offi cial, and a security guard. The banner is placed on the fl oor while discussions take
place. Deibert asks what the problem is now, to which the offi cial replies that the reference to the “ Great Firewall of China ” is unacceptable to one of the state members and
that the poster must be removed. An animated discussion follows, with people gathering. The growing crowd of onlookers pulls out mobile phones, snaps photos, starts
rolling videos, and sends tweets out to the Internet about the furor. The security guards
remove the banner from the book reception, and the event continues.
Following the reception, people assemble videos of the controversy and post them
to YouTube. Press inquiries begin, and soon there are stories and posts about the event,
including an image of the banner in question on BBC, CBC, and other news outlets
around the world. What was a sleepy book reception has turned into a political melee.
Toward the Fourth Phase of Cyberspace Controls
Ronald Deibert, John Palfrey, Rafal Rohozinski, and Jonathan Zittrain
November 2009, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. At a large conference facility in the middle
of a desert landscape, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is in full swing. Thousands
of attendees from all over the world, lanyards draped over their chests, bags stuffed
with papers and books, mingle with each other while moving in and out of conference
rooms. Down one hallway of the massive complex, a large banner is placed outside a
conference room where a book launch is about to begin. The OpenNet Initiative (ONI)
is holding a small reception to mark the release of its latest volume, Access Controlled:
The Shaping of Power, Rights, and Rule in Cyberspace . As part of the planned proceedings,
members of OpenNet Asia plan to show clips of a short documentary they have produced on information controls across Asia.
Before the event gets under way, an offi cial from the United Nations — the forum ’ s
host — asks to speak to the ONI ’ s Ron Deibert. The offi cial is upset about the distribution of small pamphlets that invite attendees to the book reception, in particular about
the reference to Tibet on the back (which he encircles in pen to make his point). He
asks that no more such pamphlets be distributed. Deibert reluctantly agrees, since the
event is about to begin.
But one incident leads quickly to another. An ONI research associate is now carrying
the large banner back from the hallway, this time escorted by the same offi cial, another
offi cial, and a security guard. The banner is placed on the fl oor while discussions take
place. Deibert asks what the problem is now, to which the offi cial replies that the reference to the “ Great Firewall of China ” is unacceptable to one of the state members and
that the poster must be removed. An animated discussion follows, with people gathering. The growing crowd of onlookers pulls out mobile phones, snaps photos, starts
rolling videos, and sends tweets out to the Internet about the furor. The security guards
remove the banner from the book reception, and the event continues.
Following the reception, people assemble videos of the controversy and post them
to YouTube. Press inquiries begin, and soon there are stories and posts about the event,
including an image of the banner in question on BBC, CBC, and other news outlets
around the world. What was a sleepy book reception has turned into a political melee.