The internet is constructed as a system of stacked network “layers,” each of which uses and expands the functions provided by the lower ones. For the purpose of our review, we distinguish between three layers: the
infrastructure layer, which includes hardware and cables to establish and maintain a connection; the
network layer, which ensures that data packets are properly routed from source to destination; and the
application layer that consists of the software tools that enable users to send and receive information over the network. In the following sections, we review the different ways in which governments can influence internet communication at these layers.
