Digital Convergence and Cybersecurity Policy

Abstract

Digital convergence constitutes the full realization of the Information Age and provides the foundation to link cultural, personal, business, governmental, and economic affairs into a rapidly expanding global digital world called cyberspace. However, this linking of people around the globe is challenging the government to actively work with private industry to ensure its critical infrastructures and associated information is adequately protected. The purpose of this chapter is to explain how digital convergence is affecting the public sector and the need for a cybersecurity policy that includes the active involvement of both the public and private sectors. Digital convergence has made incredible inroads thanks to rapidly developing technologies such as the ubiquitous Internet, seemingly endless bandwidth (including wireless), and rapid advances in computer processing power that are all responsible for the processing, transporting, and storing of digital information throughout cyberspace. Moreover, these technologies have brought about the collision of three colossal industrial segments within the private sector—(a) computing, (b) consumer electronics, and (c) telecommunications providers—and are providing a multitude of compatible services via various digital devices (Figure 1). Without a doubt, the explosion of digital convergence has produced a flourishing multimedia, multidevice, and multitasking environment (Baker & Green, 2004). A significant impact of a converged society is the empowerment of individuals (consumers) and organizations to collaborate and compete on a global scale. Most importantly, however, these highly mobile and perpetually connected consumers are putting information at a greater risk as they have access to this information outside of its traditionally protected network boundaries in an environment where this information is increasingly vital to the nation’s critical infrastructure assets. The government must be able to effectively secure the information flowing throughout cyberspace.