Tehran _ The space for policy and cyber interaction or, more accurately, the “cyber policy” space, is considered to be the most recent and most important area of interest among policy and international experts in the theoretical and practical field, which neglects it can cause serious damage and unpredictable for countries as the most important […]
Tehran _ The space for policy and cyber interaction or, more accurately, the “cyber policy” space, is considered to be the most recent and most important area of interest among policy and international experts in the theoretical and practical field, which neglects it can cause serious damage and unpredictable for countries as the most important actors in the field of international relations.
Today, cyber policy and cyber security are discussed in the field of international relations and politics. Real space cyberspace is a real new field for influencing and, consequently, friendship, cooperation, competition, hostility and even war between nations and other actors. These cases show well that the Internet and cyberspace have provided a new field for politics, a space in which individuals, groups and governments are acting and policy makers.
Cyber policy is a bipartisan concept that refers to the interaction and coherence of the two arenas of politics (the place of friendship, cooperation, competition, conflict, and war on values and interests) and the Internet (a new platform for acting). Some experts have gone even further and talked about cyber policy “great politics” versus “undercover politics”.
In the field of international relations, under the influence of the tradition of realism, international issues are divided into very important and crucial issues such as security and less important issues, such as economic issues. Some experts believe that because of the importance of cyberspace, cyber policy has to be considered as one of the most important, critical and security issues or great politics. They point out that today, millions of people worldwide have access to computers and the Internet, and each day they increase the number of users and the level and depth of Internet use, which provides a very important area for acting and, consequently, policy is making every day, the number of users as well as the level of technology is added. Under these circumstances, cyberspace plays an important role in guiding public opinion, creating priorities and desires, public diplomacy, spying, vandalism, war, conflict, and everything that actually forms the realm of real politics. As a result, cyberspace should be considered an excellent policy.
The theoretical framework and the most influential impact of cyberspace on politics and international relations are three main issues. The first issue is the presentation of a “conceptual order” to explain the relationship between cyberspace and politics. The second issue is identifying and believing in the widespread connection between cyberspace and politics. The third issue is the explanation of the route and the important issues in this connection.
The theory of “surplus pressure” is the applicable theory in this field. The theory of lateral pressure means a new level of analysis beyond Stefan Walt’s three levels. He believes that cyberspace cannot be discussed based on previous levels and attitudes of people like Kenneth Boulding and Kenneth Waltz.
In addition to the three levels of “human”, “states” and “international system,” space requires a different level. At this new level, which is the “global level”, the impact of cyberspace is emphasized by the emphasis on the separation between the “social system” and the “natural environment.” At the global level, it is emphasized that the Internet space and its widespread impact on the world of politics cannot be discussed with the old levels that emphasize the individual or state or international arena. Internet space is a space for acting actors, non-state actors such as terrorists and private companies in terms of economic, cultural, security and even military. Therefore, it should be emphasized on the global level that, while combining the other levels, creates a broad interconnection between all levels and dimensions and is capable of analyzing other political space. Therefore, in lateral suppression theory, there is an attempt to establish a relationship between the individual, state and international levels as the old levels and the level of global analysis.
Based on the experience of the past decades, the Internet and cyberspace have affected the relations between countries, especially the United States and Iran. Indeed, a serious competition between countries in this area has a positive and negative or positive effect. In this conflict, major nations, including China and the United States, are trying to outsource the other in the field of technology, which has positive implications for the advancement of the Internet, but the Internet, meanwhile, has created a new atmosphere of competition, hostility and warfare, sometimes with some countries, including America and Iran have been attracted.
Regarding the content of the Internet and the role and policies of governments to control cyberspace, powerful nations are trying to influence the direction and overall space of the Internet and determine its future path. In contrast to the weaker countries in this area, they are struggling with a sophisticated look and feel, with influences such as content filtering, affecting the Internet. In such a space, the serious competition that has emerged between the West and the rest of the world has a different shape every day.
In the “cyber policy” space as a major new issue in the field of politics and international relations, as in other areas of politics, “values” and “interests” by various actors such as governments, organizations and government actors And non-governmental organizations, and even people who produce, distribute and consume. In fact, cyber policy, unlike the past, has placed new actors alongside governments as the most important actors in international relations, which are sometimes more capable and successful in the Internet.
However, apart from all the benefits and benefits of the Internet, the fact is that the Internet has provided “a new war space”, which is referred to as “cyber warfare”. In this type of war, countries and other actors use the Internet to spy, sabotage, and create insurrections, revolutions and even the destruction of military installations and vital centers of the other side.
Of course, the Internet has created a new space for “cooperation” and “interaction” between countries. In spite of this, the Internet has made the relationship between all actors, including governments, individuals, organizations and institutions, cheap and comfortable, due to its high speed and precision. As a result, the conditions for cooperation and engagement have been more interesting than before. While countries and other actors are aware of the need for extensive international cooperation on the Internet, they know that cyberspace has created a new area of international cooperation.
Regarding the widespread impact of the Internet on all aspects of politics and international relations through the spread of knowledge and knowledge of individuals, the fact is that the Internet has been instrumental in facilitating and expanding access to information and knowledge in the national and international arena. Individuals and communities have become more aware and more educated than before, and the world faces a new phenomenon called “Human Awakening,” which is known in Muslim countries as “Islamic Awakening.” As a result, political demands such as the consideration of democracy and the necessity of respect for the political independence of nations, reverence for cultural and religious values, the right to decent social economic development, etc., and increased sensitivity to issues such as the environment. Accordingly, the Internet has affected the field of action of countries and other actors.
Finally, a new atmosphere in the international arena that cannot be analyzed based on theories, approaches, and levels of the past is being analyzed. In fact, the content and philosophy of the new space, known as cyberspace, is very different from the past. In this new space, new types of friendship, cooperation, rivalry, hostility and war have been created alongside past patterns. Meanwhile, various and varied actors have been added to traditional actors that are very vague and unpredictable. Consequently, these conditions must emphasize new ideas, approaches and perspectives that are much more flexible and open to the past.
Cyber policy and cyber security in the current context are considered by the international relations experts as the main issue, along with older issues of war, economics, women and the environment, and even consider some of its importance more than other areas; Because the cyberspace has all the domains and the old ones.
For example, cyberspace has provided new conditions for cooperation and competition between countries and, of course, other actors in the military, security, political, economic, environmental, women’s, children’s, health, education and other fields. Therefore, the cyber space has created new conditions in which issues of international relations are presented in a different way, resulting in a new form of cyber policy, with particular implications for national and international security. Based on this, a comprehensive review of cyber policy and cyber security, and its impact on all domains, will reinforce the deployment of passive defense at the national level.