The evolution of the Concept of Territorial Sovereignty in the Digital age

Abstract

The shift of the world due to the development of digital technology certainly poses challenges for States and therefore for international law. The changes brought about by ICT in relations between States call for renewed reflection on the content of certain aspects of State sovereignty, in this case territorial sovereignty, in the light of the digital revolution. This reflection starts from the idea that the content of the concept of territorial sovereignty must evolve in view of the current context of international relations marked by the constant acceleration of the development of digital technologies. Indeed, the current international dynamic, marked by a process of deterritorialization and reterritorialization, due, among other things, to the digitization of territories, the development of nomadic objects, strategic geolocation means (such as GPS), and data banks, goes far beyond the classic framework of attacks on territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders. The approach taken consists, then, of demonstrating that cyberspace is an integral part of the field of validity of the State's powers and that it therefore appears necessary to integrate digital space into the definition of territorial sovereignty.