On the Centralization and Regionalization of the Web

2024-06-27

arXiv.org

AI Summary

The lack of formal, computable metrics for Internet centralization has hindered rigorous empirical research on its structural and geopolitical implications. Method: We propose the first computable, multi-layered framework for quantifying Internet centralization, integrating statistical modeling and geospatial analysis across four critical infrastructure layers—hosting providers, DNS infrastructure, top-level domains (TLDs), and certificate authorities—using cross-national data from 150 countries. Contribution/Results: Our analysis reveals substantial cross-country variation in centralization levels and uncovers complex coupling patterns between centralization and geopolitically driven regionalization, notably a “high-centralization–strong-regionalization” co-occurrence. The framework yields the first cross-layer, reproducible, quantitative benchmark for Internet governance, enabling systematic, evidence-based assessment of infrastructural concentration and its policy implications.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Geometric, Spatial, and Temporal Reasoning
• Data Mining & Knowledge Management: Web

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Measurement, analysis, and circumvention of Web censorship
• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Web data provenance, reliability, and authenticity
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Foundation models and LLMs for Web-related graphs

Abstract

Over the past decade, Internet centralization and its implications for both people and the resilience of the Internet has become a topic of active debate. While the networking community informally agrees on the definition of centralization, we lack a formal metric for quantifying centralization, which limits research beyond descriptive analysis. In this work, we introduce a statistical measure for Internet centralization, which we use to better understand how the web is centralized across four layers of web infrastructure (hosting providers, DNS infrastructure, TLDs, and certificate authorities) in 150~countries. Our work uncovers significant geographical variation, as well as a complex interplay between centralization and sociopolitically driven regionalization. We hope that our work can serve as the foundation for more nuanced analysis to inform this important debate.

Problem

• Lack of formal metric for quantifying Internet centralization
• Understanding web centralization across four infrastructure layers
• Exploring interplay between centralization and sociopolitical regionalization

Innovation

• Introduces a statistical measure for Internet centralization
• Analyzes web centralization across four infrastructure layers
• Reveals geographical variation and centralization-regionalization interplay