Based on the work of the Culture Space Internet project group, a second generation of projects on the topic of Internet governance has been created. These projects, which are funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, are concerned with the new type of regulation, which is currently emerging on the Internet. Two empirical research projects are in the foreground.
1. The reform of the domain name system (DNS)
The DNA is currently being expanded. At the same time, the conditions for the allocation of domain names are gradually reformulated. The reform process is of great importance for the Internet, because it directly intervenes in the conditions of virtual existence on the Internet. Numerical network addresses and domain names are indispensable prerequisites for accessing and using the Internet. The aim of the DNS study is to analyse the different interests and reform options and to underline an assessment with regard to their impact on the communication opportunities of users and uses of the Internet.
2. The decision-making processes on the Internet
The study on global decision-making processes on the Internet ties in with the discussion about transnationalization tendencies in the field of international relations. The “Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers” (ICANN), the new administration and coordination body of the Internet, forms the empirical subject of investigation. The focus is on the question of the relationship between territorial and non-territorially bound forms of democratic decision-making. In this context, the still unresolved role of users within ICANN is particularly interested. The aim of the study is to contribute to the theory formation of transnational forms of democratic forms of organisation and coordination.