When we talk about the “rules of the internet,” most people imagine government laws. But in practice, digital rules are written by many actors — some elected, some corporate, some invisible. Understanding who holds the pen is key to understanding how power flows in our online world.
The Rulemakers
Governments: Parliament, provincial legislatures, regulators (like the CRTC) pass laws and issue directives.
Corporations: Tech giants enforce their own “terms of service” that often matter more day-to-day than national law.
International bodies: Standards organizations (like the ITU, ISO, W3C) shape the global plumbing of the internet.
Courts: Judges interpret laws and set precedents on privacy, free expression, and intellectual property.
Civil society: NGOs, unions, advocacy groups, and Indigenous communities push back and demand inclusion.
Users: Collective behavior (from boycotts to viral campaigns) can force changes no policy ever imagined.
Canadian Context
CRTC’s mixed reputation: Seen as both protector of consumers and captive of telecom giants.
Privacy reform in limbo: Ottawa has long promised stronger laws, but enforcement remains weak.
Platform governance: Canadian law is only starting to catch up to the power of U.S.-based tech platforms.
Indigenous data sovereignty: Calls for self-determined governance of digital information are gaining recognition.
The Challenges
Fragmentation: Different players make rules that sometimes clash or overlap.
Opacity: Terms of service change quietly, while international standards bodies work out of public view.
Imbalance: Corporate rule-making can outpace democratic oversight.
Public exclusion: Ordinary people rarely see themselves as part of rule-making.
The Opportunities
Transparency: Clearer consultation processes and open drafting of digital laws.
Citizen participation: Including public voices in regulatory and standards-setting processes.
Checks and balances: Stronger watchdogs for both government and corporate actors.
Global leadership: Canada could push for international digital governance rooted in rights, not profits.
The Bigger Picture
The digital world is not ruled by a single sovereign — it’s a patchwork of laws, contracts, and norms. The real question isn’t just who sets the rules — it’s who gets left out of writing them, and how that shapes our future.
Who Sets the Digital Rules?
The Question of Power
When we talk about the “rules of the internet,” most people imagine government laws. But in practice, digital rules are written by many actors — some elected, some corporate, some invisible. Understanding who holds the pen is key to understanding how power flows in our online world.
The Rulemakers
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
The digital world is not ruled by a single sovereign — it’s a patchwork of laws, contracts, and norms. The real question isn’t just who sets the rules — it’s who gets left out of writing them, and how that shapes our future.