The Internet is not so much a ‘global’ medium as is claimed, but is more a ‘patchwork’ medium comprisign of controls and filters by various geographical based state and commercial interests. If you are interested in studies of how the Internet is regulated by these various countries, see some of the reports on the OpenNet Initiative.
The ONI mission is to investigate and challenge state filtration and surveillance practices. Our approach applies methodological rigor to the study of filtration and surveillance blending empirical case studies with sophisticated means for technical verification. Our aim is to generate a credible picture of these practices at a national, regional and corporate level, and to excavate their impact on state sovereignty, security, human rights, international law, and global governance (link)
