The internet is a powerful communications tool that can be used to disseminate information, create new businesses and improve lives. However, it also can be abused for malicious purposes such as phishing, hacking and identity theft. These risks are why there are laws in place to protect the public from these activities. These laws can also help prevent cyber crime by making sure that companies follow the proper protocols to keep their customers safe.
The Internet is a global network of voluntarily interconnected autonomous networks that run on open standards. It is managed by a decentralized multistakeholder process that includes representation from the private sector, governments, the academic and research community, and civil society. The global multistakeholder model is gaining support worldwide, reflected in the recent transition of oversight for the internet’s domain name system from the Department of Commerce to a nonprofit organization with new accountability mechanisms and the Tallinn Manual 2.0 on international law applicable to cyber operations.
The “rules” of the Internet are a set of guidelines and in-jokes that originated from early internet culture on forums such as 4chan. Many of the rules are sexually explicit, and some are even misogynistic or racist. For example, rule 31 says: “Show me a picture of your tits or GTFO.” While these rules aren’t enforceable, they can be used to harass other users online, and some have even resulted in lawsuits. Because the internet can be accessed from anywhere, it can be difficult to regulate.