Abstract

Over the last decade the Internet has become a primary source of knowledge and information. Without it, individuals, communities, and nations would lag behind in our global world. Although the Internet can be monetized and exclude users from access, increasingly it is considered a public good. This public good focus of the Internet was both highlighted and accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic showed how the Internet has become an integral part of almost every country’s social and economic systems development. The effects of the pandemic have also led to policymakers reexamining the way the Internet is provided to its citizenry, the benefits and the drawbacks of the Internet, and the role the government and multilateral organizations must play in Internet governance. This effort is particularly important as societies around the world start to incorporate ai technology. This study provides an examination and discussion of the Internet, its virtues and limitations, its role as a public good, and how the Internet was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper further advances arguments on how key stakeholders should address the varied concerns with the Internet in the future.