An Analysis Of International Relations In Cyber Space In The Wake Of Prism Revelation

Traditionally, theories of international relations are based on soverignty andstates. As the strides and leaps made in IT technologies largely accelerate theexpansion of Cyber space, today, cyber security has become an increasingly serious,and ever-hot, major international issue overshadowing other conventional areas ofsecurity in recent years. The nature and distinctive features of Cyber space, whichevolves and changes rapidly today, is challenging the focuses and scopes ofinternational relations.In particular, the recent exposure of the so-called “PRISM Revelation” scandalagain ignites a global explosion of security concerns, suspicions, frictions andconflicts in the Cyber space that were once a local, insalient issue. The fact thatSnowden alone is capable of triggering a global turbulence reveals the astonishinglyenormous challenges posed by cyber imbalance to national or even internationalsecurity. The unfolding debate on state surveillance, Internet censorship and the manyother manifestations of state power exercising sovereignty over the network make thevery idea that making Cyber space a harbor free of states’ influence sound unrealistic,or outdated.Also, Cyber space brings changes to international community. Theinterconnectivity nature of Cyber space makes that one country’s cyber securityconcerns not only its national security and people’s livelihood, but also the stabilityand prosperity of the world as a whole, which means using Cyber space as abattlefield is in no one’s interest. Therefore, Cyber space should not be a place whereevery gain for one country is a loss for the others, and vice-versa. Rather, it should bea place of competitive collaboration, where states challenge each other, but fairly,while seizing the opportunities to collaborate for collective good.This paper is intended to explore the influence of the development of Cyberspace on international relations in the wake of the Prism Revelation, so as to have abetter understanding of changes and new characteristics of today’s internationalrelations. Unlike the past, Cyber space has emerged and become a critical consideration when addressing international politics, it is reshuffling the world’slandscape and reshaping the political, economic, military and social patterns.