UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2017/2018
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
BCT2204 IT GOVERNANCE
FULL TIME/PART TIME
DATE: APRIL, 2018 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One & ANY OTHER TWO questions.
QUESTION ONE (Compulsory)
a) Internet has the following agencies
i) Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
ii) Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
iii) Internet Society (ISOC)
What are the roles played by each with regard to internet governance (6 Marks)
b) How can barriers to developing country participation in internet governance be
overcome? (6 Marks)
c) Trace the history of the Internet governance (6 Marks)
d) Define the term internet governance (2 Marks)
e) What are some of the challenges to effective multi-sectoral governance in internet
governance? (5Marks)
f) Discuss the issues raised by net neutrality (5Marks)
QUESTION TWO
a) Lawrence Solum has stated that “ICANN is best understood as an attempt to
institutionalize and preserve the autonomy of an engineering-based approach to Internet
governance in face of pressures to cede control to either national governments or market
mechanisms”. Discuss the validity of that statement (8 Marks)
b) Describe the roles of the main players in digital diplomacy? (4 Marks)
c) How does the Internet‘s economic model affect international relations (e.g. the role of
Google and Facebook)? (8 Marks)
QUESTION THREE
a) Professor Benkler has divided the Internet structure into three “layers”: the “physical
infrastructure layer”, the “code”or “logical layer” and the “content layer”. Discuss the
issues identified under each layer (10 Marks)
b) In your opinion will the commercialization of the Internet continue, turning the users into
paying customers and promoting in an hegemonic a way single culture or will Internet
become a tool for development, for human enrichment and the dissemination of cultural
and linguistic diversity? (10 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR
a) The impact of ICT on the distribution of power and development has given rise to many
questions.
i) Will the ICT-accelerated affect the already formidable development divide that exists
between the rich North and poor South. (4Marks)
ii) Will ICT reduce or broaden the existing divide? (4Marks)
iii) What is the relationship between Internet governance and the digital divide? (4 Marks)
b) How can the issue of the inequity of the Internet economic model, where all payments
flow from the underdeveloped countries towards the developed countries despite the fact
that the information flows in both directions, be addressed (8 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE
a) Describe the impact of the Internet on the following
i) Concepts of power and sovereignty as well as on the impact interdependence in modern
international relations. (8 Marks)
ii) Diplomatic practice including use of new social media tools, data-mining and other
techniques for public diplomacy, negotiations and reporting activities (8Marks)
b) Who owns and governs the internet (4Marks)
