Geopolitics of data sovereignty: Digital borders and the fragmentation of global order
Keywords:
Data Sovereignty, Fragmentation of Global Order, Digital Geopolitics, Weaponized Interdependence, Brussels Effects, Digital Borders, Cyber Sovereignty, Regulatory CompetitionAbstract
This article examines the geopolitics of data sovereignty, the geopolitical rivalry among relevant state actors to assert regulatory authority over digital networks, the crossing of borders with data and the normative rules of the game in cyberspace. This research employs a comparative, qualitative and secondary data analysis method, which is in line with the most different systems design. The research explores different governance models implemented by the great powers such as United States, the European Union, and People’s Republic of China, India and Russia and places each within the theoretical paradigms of weaponized interdependence, digital geopolitics, and the nexus of data, space, and power. The paper suggests that the global order is experiencing a real digital fragmentation, due to the interplay between different regulatory visions and rules of data localization, as well as diverging cybersecurity agendas, that are giving rise to a de facto splinternet, which is reflecting and exacerbating systemic tensions. The statistical evidence collected from various sources such as ITU, World Bank, UNCTAD, McKinsey Global Institute, Statista, OECD, Freedom House, IDC, Gartner, ECIPE and thirteen original comparative tables prove that Data Sovereignty is not just a technico-administrative question but has become a vital instrument of geopolitical power in the 21st century.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Syed Shameel Ahmed Quadri, Rakhshanda Munir (Author)
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