From Neutral Thirds to Private Law Enforcers: Toward a Criterial Framework for Requests Placed on Internet Service Providers

Undeniably the traditional neutral role of ISPs has come under increasing pressure. This is mainly a result of the requests placed on them which are becoming more diverse and far reaching. ISPs are called upon to lead the fight against botnets, combat digital piracy and child pornography, amongst other things. These requests placed upon ISPs are often impractical and sometimes even illegitimate. The primary research objective for this contribution is an analysis of a number of themes which invoke the involvement of ISPs. In particular, we want to make an inventory of the thematic justifications used for the requests. Basically, what interest are ISPs asked to defend and how do these relate to their role within the realm of internet governance? The outcome of this analysis is the development of a preliminary criterial framework for requests placed on ISPs