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Impact of emerging technology on the nation-state

Jun 08, 2023

Details:

  1. The rapid scale and speed of technological developments have radically and disruptively transformed societies and daily lives.
  2. Though lives have become much easier, several other complex challenges have appeared.

Challenges Posed by Technology:

  1. There are several externalities occurring beyond the scope of geographical national borders like Cyberattacks.
  2. Cyberattacks challenge the socio-economic and political existence by creating a ripple effect.
  3. The advent of the internet and other technologies like blockchain allows state and non-state actors to influence areas of trade, commerce, health, and education even while remaining outside the financial and judicial scope.
  4. There is a declining significance of conventional geographical borders as data travel across the world wide web at an unimaginable speed.
  5. The existing constitutionally established institutions are inadequate in tackling malicious ‘virtual activities’.
  6. It is also difficult to establish the applicability of any country-specific law due to the universal nature of technology.
  7. In the absence of a globally-accepted norm, it is difficult to collect evidence and book the recalcitrant actors.
  8. Constantly emerging technologies expose the inability and incapacity of the nation-state to administer them.
  9. Technological entities have transcended boundaries to collaborate with the rest of the world. For example,
  10. Topographical maps which used to be produced by public and military institutions are now available through private entities like Google Maps.
  11. The five largest American tech companies (namely Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft) have a valuation of approximately $4,100 billion (more than Germany’s GDP).
  12. Data has become one of the most important raw materials with only a few countries having power and influence over it.

Way Ahead:

  1. A principle-based global order can streamline the enforceability and challenges in the adoption and diffusion of technology.
  2. Moreover, it will provide guidance to emerging and least-developed countries.
  3. India also needs to have laws for data transfer and data privacy. It should be complemented by global regulation architecture trusted by all countries.
  4. It is a great opportunity for India (as a current chair of G20) to take a leadership role similar to International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.