Feasibility Study and the Requirements for Generalizability of the Border Phenomenon to Cyberspace

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Imam Sadiq University

2 Public and International Law, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Governments have recognized cyberspace, after the three domains of  their national territories,  as the fourth realm of their national sovereignty but some elements of nation-states including borders have not yet emerged in cyberspace. This study aims at examining the feasibility of generalizing the border phenomenon from real space to cyberspace and the necessity of this generalization, and providing a clear definition of cyber border. Then, the requirements for the realization of borders in cyberspace, including the methods of demarcation in this space and the feasibility of technical realization of cyber borders, are examined. In terms of its purpose, this study is an exploratory-descriptive research with qualitative data collected through library method and analyzed qualitatively. Findings show that not only is the existence of borders in cyberspace possible, but also due to the types of hard and soft threats in cyberspace, their necessity is double that of the real space. As a result of the remarkable developments of the cyberspace era, the real meaning and main functions of border have not changed while merely some methods of border demarcation and border guarding in information and communication technology have undergone some considerable changes. Accordingly, the borders of cyberspace like those of the real space have established the boundaries of the sovereignty of nation-states in digital space and, in accordance with certain rules, prevent the hard and soft threats of cyberspace.
 

Keywords


Azadi, Javad (2018). Cyber security or cybersecurity. Growth reflections, 1 (1), 164– 168.)in Persian(
Badiee Azandahi, Marjan; Ahmadi Firoozjaei, Meysam; Ansarizadeh, Salman (2013). Explaining the concept of border in Iran's political-virtual space. Geography Quarterly, 36, 291 - 313. )in Persian(
Cairncross, Fransis (1997). The death of distance: How the communications revolution will change our lives? Harvard: Harvard school press.
Cassese, Antonio (1995). Self-determination of peoples: a legal reappraisal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Czosseck, Christian; Geers, Kenneth (2018). Borders in Cyberspace: Can Sovereignty Adapt to the Challenges of Cyber Security? In F. Hare, The Virtual Battlefield: Perspectives on Cyber Warfare (pp. 49 - 74). Amesterdam: IOS press BV.
Demchak, Chris. C. (2018). Uncivil and Post-western Cyber Westphalia: Changing Interstate Power Relations of the Cybered Age. The Cyber Defense Review, 49 - 74.
Ebadi Nejad, Seyed Ali; Nosrati, Hamidreza; Mustajabi, Hamid (2013). The Impact of Globalization on the Border in Cyberspace. Border Science and Technology, 53 - 72. )in Persian(
Fang, Bixing (2018). Cyberspace Sovereignty; Reflections on Building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace. Beijing: Springer Singapore.
Ghamami, Seyed Mohammadmahdi (2011). Constitutional rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran: Islamic Revolution Documentation Center. )in Persian(
Ghazi, Seyed Abolfazl (2014). Constitutional rights requirements. Tehran: Samat. )in Persian(
Giles, Keir (2012). Russia's public stance on cyberspace issues, 4th international conference on cyber conflict. Tallinn: NATO CCD COE publication.
Godvin III, James; Kulpin, Andrey; Rauscher, Karl. Fredrick; Yaschenko, Valery (2014). The Russia-U.S. Bilateral on Cybersecurity: Critical Terminology Foundations 2. New York: EastWest Institute and the Information Security Institute of Moscow State University.
Ghol Mohammadi, Ahmad (2004). Globalization and culture and identity. Tehran: Ney Publishing. )in Persian(
Hafznya, Mohammadreza (2011). The political geography of cyberspace. Tehran: Samat. )in Persian(
Hassani, Hossein (2019). Data localization. Tehran: National Cyberspace Center Research Institute. )in Persian(
Heydarifar, Mohammadrauf (2010). Critical study of the discourse of a world without borders. Geopolitical Quarterly, 6 (2), 125 - 152. )in Persian(
Janparvar, Mohsen (2008). A Study of the Evolution of the Concept of Border in Contemporary Times, Master Thesis. Tehran: Tarbiat Modares University. )in Persian(
Kabiri, MAlihe; Janparvar, Mohsen;Zarghani, Seyedhadi (2016). Explain and level the factors affecting the importance of borders; With emphasis on land borders. Iranian Journal of International Politics, 5 (2), 93-117. )in Persian(
Karmer, Franklin (2009). Cyberpower and national security. Washingtoon D.C.: Center for Technology and National Security Policy.
Kearney, Michael (2004). The classifying and valuefltering missions of borders. Anthropological Theory, 4(2).
Khalili, Mohsen (2013). The concept of territory in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Geographical border, ideological boundless. Strategy, 58, 7 - 45. )in Persian(
Lin, Herbert (2011). Responding to sub-threshold cyber intrusions: a fertile topic for research and discussion. Journal of International Affairs, 127 - 135.
Mayer, Marco (2014). How would you define Cyberspace? First Draft Pisa.
Mujtahidzade, Piruz (2002). Political Geography and Geographical Politics. Tehran: Samat. )in Persian(
Mir Haider, Dorre (2006). Fundamentals of Political Geography. Tehran: Samat.)in Persian(
Osborn, Phillipe (2017). Cyber Border Security – Defining and Defending a National Cyber Border. Homeland Security Affairs.
Oxford Online Dictionary (2020, 11 4). Retrieved from lexico: https://www.lexico.com/definition/cyberspace
Racicot, Michael; Hayes, Mark S; Szibbo, Alec R; Trudel, Pierre (1998). The cyberspace is not a ‘no law land’a study of the issues of liability for content circulating on the internet. Computer Law & Security Review, 14(2), 96-106.
Ranjkesh, Mohammadreza; Keshavarz, Hamidreza (2013). Structure - Agent: A theoretical framework for understanding and evaluating the boundary phenomenon. Quarterly Journal of New Attitudes in Human Geography, 5 (4), 69-87. )in Persian(
Rahmati Rad, Mohammadhossein (1997). Border guards, passports and foreign nationals. Tehran: NAJA Deputy Minister of Education. )in Persian(
Rezapour, Mohammadmahdi (2019). Cyber governance in China. Tehran: National Cyberspace Center Research Institute. )in Persian(
Sadughi, Moradali (2007). Information technology and national sovereignty. Tehran: Office of Political and International Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. )in Persian(
Schmitt, Michael N. (2013). Tallinn manual on the international law applicable to cyber warfare. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Shirzadi, Reza (2018). Territory and borders from the perspective of geopolitics, politics and international law. Border Science and Technology, 9 (3), 91 - 119. )in Persian(
Soltaninejad, Ahmad; Islami, Mohsen; Rastgoo, Mohammadzaman (2016). ), Advanced information and communication technology and the evolution of the concept of sovereignty in international relations. Contemporary Political Essays, 7 (1), 85-114. )in Persian(
Stanbury, William Thomas;Vertinsky, Ilan. B. (1994). Information technologies and transnational interest groups: The challenge for diplomacy. Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, 2(3), 87 - 99.
Thornton, Sean M. (1997). State Criminal Laws in Cyberspace: Reconciling Freedom for Users with Effective Law Enforcement. Richmond Journal of Law & Technology, 4(2), 5.
Tuukkanen, Topi  (2018). Sovereignty in the cyber domain. The Fog of Cyber Defence, 37 - 45.
Zarghan, Seyedhadi (2007). An Introduction to Recognizing International Borders. Tehran: The police force of the Islamic Republic of Iran.)in Persian(
Ziolkowski, Katharina  (2013). Peacetime regime for state activities in cyberspace. Tallinn: NATO CCD COE Publications.