The Internet as DPI
Stergios Aidinlis · 2025
This chapter examines the Internet as a contested form of digital public infrastructure (DPI), analysing the tension between its origins as a publicly funded research project and its evolution into a commercialised network dominated by private interests. It argues that while the Internet retains characteristics of a global public good—with open standards, universal protocols, and non-rivalrous information sharing—its governance has become increasingly fragmented by market forces, geopolitical tensions, and regulatory divergence. The chapter analyses competing governance models, from multistakeholder approaches exemplified by ICANN and the Internet Governance Forum to national regulatory frameworks like the EU&s;s GDPR and Digital Markets Act. Central tensions emerge throughout the analysis: between national sovereignty and global decentralisation, between corporate innovation and equitable access, and between openness and security. Various governance responses are evaluated, including inclusive multistakeholder processes, rights-based legal frameworks, and initiatives addressing persistent digital divides that exclude approximately one-third of humanity from meaningful participation. The chapter concludes that preserving the Internet as truly public infrastructure requires coordinated efforts across sectors and stakeholders to align governance with democratic values, ensure equitable access, and balance innovation with accountability, ensuring that this critical infrastructure serves collective rather than narrowly commercial interests.