News

The call for participation in this special issue of the Journal of Cyber Policy, referred to the impact of consolidation in the Internet’s fundamental architecture (including structural dependencies across its many layer), will be opened until 1^st April, 2019.

During past February, the Internet Society released its annual Global Internet Report, which as they aknowledge “confirmed that the Internet is facing change, due to trends of consolidation in services at all levels”. But, as they strongly assure: “While this study highlighted some key features of consolidation and emerging trends in Internet development, it also generated more questions than answers.” To answer some of those questions is the objective of this new Journal release.

Through this call for papers, Internet Society and Chatham House are looking for interdisciplinary research across the fields of computer science, development, engineering, economics, mathematics, law, and political science to help us understand the extent, origins, and impact (both positive and negative) of consolidation. Researchers must produce evidence-based research, with the possibility of financial support for the collection of the relevant data.

Specific topics for this special issue of the Journal of Cyber Policy include, but are not limited to, the cyber policy implications of the following:

1. Impact of consolidation on “digital divides” and network developments in developing economies.
2. Economic or technical dependence, including those that inhibit innovation, competition or constrain the Internet's natural evolution.
3. The extent to which consolidation is a result of particular characteristics of the service involved.
4. New Internet traffic patterns and network practices as a result of consolidation.
5. The impact of consolidation on the development of new protocols, standards, or practices.
6. Technical drivers for large-scale operations and consolidation.
7. Regulatory consideration, whether from the perspective of consumer protection, competition, or administrative law.
8. Impact of consolidation on innovation and/or cybersecurity.
9. Consideration of how emerging technologies (e.g. 5G) may impact consolidation and fiber access networks.

The Journal of Cyber Policy adopts an interdisciplinary research, and seeks authors from across different fields; authors may be practitioners, policy makers, academics or technologists. Those interested in submitting a paper for this special issue, please visit: https://www.internetsociety.org/issues/future/2019-consolidation-call-for-papers/