The Future of the Internet

10 Cutting Edge Issues for Global Discussion

Yasuhiko Taniwaki

• Publisher: One Peace Books
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Computer Science General
• eBook ISBN:
  9781642736342
• Index: Computer Science

While cutting-edge technologies like "AI agents" and "quantum computers" dominate conversations, how many people truly understand the dynamics of what' s unfolding in the world of the internet? "The era of the global internet is over." This striking declaration opened a report released by a U.S. think tank in the fall of 2022. From the beginning, the internet was built by ordinary individuals and functioned through interconnected networks. Its defining traits— freedom, flexibility, and global nature— enabled the unique and organic development of the internet as we know it. Now that the end of this defining characteristic has been proclaimed, what kinds of competition and conflict are taking shape? How should we rethink the internet' s future? Drawing on years of experience shaping policies for governments and corporations, as well as firsthand involvement in delivering internet services today, the author provides an expert, front-line perspective on the ongoing evolution of the internet. Let' s explore together what lies ahead for "our" internet.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Imprint
• Introduction
• Table of Contents
• [Chapter 1]New Digital Opportunities
• 　A Society Transformed by a Pandemic
• 　The Ukrainian Conflict: The Rise of Digital Warfare
• 　　Fact-Checking Organizations in Motion
• 　Uses of Digital Technology
• 　　Truly Effective Data Utilization
• 　　Institutional Redesign for Achieving a Data-Driven Society
• 　Declining Internet Freedom
• 　　Increasing Pressure Worldwide
• 　　Concerns Surrounding Freedom
• 　Building a Data-Driven Society
• [Chapter 2]Transition to Data Capital
• 　120-Year-Old Prophecy
• 　The Digital Revolution in its Second Phase
• 　Digitization = Creating New Value
• 　Data Usage in the Servitization of Goods
• 　　The Four Types of Data in a Data-Driven Society
• 　Data Linkage Beyond the Walled Garden
• 　The Path to a Problem-Solving Society
• 　　Issue 1: Home Health Care and Data Linkage
• 　　Issue 2: Aging Communities and Data Utilization
• 　　Issue 3: Transportation Systems and Data Analysis
• 　　Issue 4: Intelligent Objects and Data Usage
• 　Wealth Change and Concentration
• 　　The Rise of Invisible Assets
• 　Data Oligopoly of Giant Platform
• 　　Characteristics of a Two-Sided Market
• 　Institutional Development Based on Data Characteristics
• 　　Three Elements for Promoting Data Distribution
• 　　(1) Data Volume
• 　　(2) Data Quality
• 　　(3) Data Distribution Speed
• [Chapter 3]The Dawn of Data Distribution Infrastructure
• 　Concentration and Dispersion
• 　Cyberspace Transformed by Giant Platforms
• 　The Emergence of Web3
• 　　Challenges Facing the Decentralized Business Model
• 　Extension to Digital Policy
• 　What is Neutrality in Policy
• 　　Emerging Third Neutrality
• 　　Vertical Integration Model as Seen in i-mode and iPhone
• 　Major Shift in the Background Network Structure
• 　　Diversification of Rule Formation
• 　　Rule-Based and Principle-Based
• 　　Co-Regulation as Soft Law
• 　　Can Disinformation be Battled with Co-Regulation?
• 　Discrimination or Distinction
• 　Network Structure and Communication Sovereignty
• 　　To What Extent Do the Rules Apply?
• [Chapter 4]Conflicts Over Digital Democracy
• 　The Emergence of the Internet and its Fundamental Principles
• 　Liberal vs. Authoritarian States
• 　　Integration of Real and Cyberspace
• 　　Conflicting Perspectives
• 　　Stalled Discussions
• 　　Multistakeholderism vs. Multilateralism
• 　Aim of New IP
• 　Conflict Between the Two Camps Intensifying at Every Level
• 　　Countries Prohibiting International Data Transfer Double
• 　The Coming Era of Digital Cold War
• 　Is Multistakeholderism Effective?
• 　Japan's Security in Preparation for the Digital Cold War
• 　　Two Methods in Deterrence Strategy
• 　Digital Democracy and Internet Governance
• [Chapter 5]The Future of the Internet
• 　Data Driven Society: From Centralized to Distributed
• 　Ten Key Issues Explored in This Book
• 　　Discussion Point 1: Tangible Assets and Intangible Assets
• 　　Discussion Point 2: Goods-Centric and Service-Centric
• 　　Discussion Point 3: Neoliberalism and Modified Capitalism
• 　　Discussion Point 4: Ex Ante Regulation and Ex Post Regulation
• 　　Discussion Point 5: Hard Law and Soft Law
• 　　Discussion Point 6: Discrimination and Distinction
• 　　Discussion Point 7: Domestic Rules and International Rules
• 　　Discussion Point 8: Liberal States and Authoritarian States
• 　　Discussion Point 9: Multistakeholderism and Multilateralism
• 　　Discussion Point 10: Security, Convenience, and Privacy
• 　Progress of AI and the G7
• 　The Network in 10 Years
• 　For the Future of the Internet
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author