Internet Governance and the Public Sphere: A Comparative Analysis

The rapid evolution of the Internet has transformed global communication, reshaping power, participation, and regulation in the digital age. As digital infrastructures increasingly mediate public discourse, Internet governance has become a central site where communication power is exercised and contested. Despite growing scholarly interest, comparative and communication-centred analyses of how national governance frameworks shape power, participation, and digital rights remain limited. This study applies the frameworks of networked governance and communication power to examine how authority, participation, and digital rights are structured within the networked public sphere across national contexts. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, the study analyses governance models in the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Colombia, and selected African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. These cases reflect diverse political systems and regional contexts across the Global North and Global South. Analysis of policy documents, scholarly literature, and international organization reports reveals contrasting approaches, including state-centric regulation, participatory multi-stakeholder models, and hybrid frameworks that combine collaboration with persistent concerns over surveillance and privacy. The study concludes that Internet governance is a communicative process that both reflects and reshapes power relations and calls for inclusive, context-sensitive governance grounded in shared responsibility among key stakeholders.