Legitimacy Perception of Internet Governance Structure: An Inter-Country Analysis

Abstract

In the current paper, we investigate the impasse over the two forms of Internet governance on trans-national governance issues of the Internet, i.e., multilateral vs. multi-stakeholder. Considering the long controversy over the more appropriate governance form, in this research work, we intend to examine the factors which impact the perception of legitimacy of the different governance forms. The study proposes legitimacy perception influenced by a combination of complementary institutional and rational view. It argues that a stakeholder group’s institutional membership (institutional view) as well as its capabilities to contribute to the collective action of governance (rational view) influences the legitimacy perception of a particular governance form. The study also explores moderating role of Internet affordances in the above relationship. The findings have policy implications in the domain of Internet governance which can be extended to develop theory on governance of information infrastructures.