Global Internet Governance, Regional Realities: Why a Global Interoperable Internet Matters for APAC

On 21 January 2026, the Asia Tech Alliance (ATA) and Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) convened a closed-door APAC roundtable in Singapore titled “Global Internet Governance, Regional Realities.” The session was moderated by Lih Shiun Goh, Managing Director of ATA, and featured Theresa Swinehart, Senior Vice President for Global Domains & Strategy, and Samiran Gupta, Vice President for Stakeholder Engagement and APAC Managing Director, from ICANN. 

The discussion is timely as economies across APAC consider platform regulation, online safety, and concepts of digital sovereignty. One thing is clear: many policy debates need to consider the Internet’s underlying infrastructure – else they risk limiting the ability of economies to fully capture the value from tech innovation.

The Internet Works Because It Was Designed to be Global and Interoperable

ICANN’s primary responsibility is to coordinate the global domain name system (DNS) so that the Internet works reliably everywhere, and for everyone. 

Neutrality was built into its founding, with the Internet’s architecture designed to be distributed, layered, and resilient. Early network architects structured the Internet as a network of networks, where no single node or pathway was essential for overall operation and no central authority grants permission for new networks to join the system. This layered architecture separates applications from routing and physical transmission through common protocols, enabling different layers of the Internet to evolve independently without disrupting the rest of the system. 

This design matters as it ensures the Internet can be accessible and global, allowing users, businesses, and others around the world to innovate and collaborate across geographical borders. ICANN, with its technical expertise, is entrusted by its global community to coordinate the internet's technical identifiers, ensuring a stable, secure, and unified global internet.

Why Does This Matter Now? 

APAC policymakers are currently grappling with digital governance, carefully considering ways to balance concerns around issues such as online safety and cybersecurity with aspirations to reap the opportunities of tech innovation for inclusive growth. These are apparent, for instance, in how policymakers are approaching AI governance and safety frameworks and data residency requirements for sensitive sectors. 

It is essential that as policies are developed, they remain anchored in the Internet’s fundamentally global and interoperable architecture. Placing overly restrictive data residency requirements can prevent the flow of data across borders, creating unnecessary friction and costs for organisations as they grow beyond their geographical borders. Restrictions in cross border data flows may also impinge on the ability of local businesses to access the best in class solutions and services, limiting tech innovation that fuels economic growth.

We believe that APAC economies do recognise the importance of a global and interoperable Internet. For example, key agreements like the ASEAN Data Management Framework (DMF), the Model Contractual Clauses for Cross Border Data Flows (MCCs), and the APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) help facilitate cross border data flows (while protecting data) and facilitate businesses to better leverage the Internet for growth. 

By prioritizing technical interoperability and harmonized standards for emerging technologies, policymakers can ensure that local digital ecosystems remain part of a seamless global fabric, allowing businesses – from regional startups to multinational enterprises – to scale efficiently and continue reaping the compounding benefits of a unified, open Internet.

What Role Should Industry Leaders Play in Internet Governance? 

A consistent theme throughout the discussion was that the industry can do more to collaborate and work with policymakers on digital governance. 

APAC policymakers are moving on critical technology policies, and industry leaders are uniquely positioned to serve as the bridge between technical reality and policy aspiration, providing the grounded expertise necessary to maintain a seamless global Internet. This is why the ATA, and the tech industry in general, are stepping up to engage in active, constructive partnerships and conversations with policymakers. 

By sharing best practices and perspectives on the risks and opportunities, industry pioneers can help APAC policymakers design interoperable frameworks that protect the Internet's foundational openness while addressing legitimate local concerns. This collaborative model ensures that new regulations are not only technologically feasible but also forward-looking, fostering a high-trust environment where APAC’s digital governance model can serve as an engine for growth, and perhaps as a model for other regions to follow.