From securitymagazine.com
We have recently seen a growing trend toward protectionism by nations struggling to adapt to a twenty-first century of unprecedented interconnectedness. The Trump Administration’s “America First” doctrine, escalating trade wars, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, are opposing forces to the globalization trends of the last 50 years. The Internet, as we know it, has only known an increasingly globalized world, while also playing a key role in that globalization. The Internet relies on cooperation and adherence to open standards and has not faced protectionist forces this strong in its modern existence. As global tensions continue to escalate, the Internet may find itself used as a weapon, something we are already starting to see happen, by nations attempting to exert their influence and enforce greater internal control over digital commerce and communication.