Yes. Political borders still matter in a digital society. However, digital systems have transformed how borders operate rather than making them disappear. This is shared SL and HL content linked to space.
Space concerns how people organize, construct and represent physical, geographic and virtual environments. Networks let data, communication and services cross borders rapidly, creating virtual spaces extending across territories. Yet states retain power through laws, infrastructure controls and access restrictions.
| Digital systems weaken borders | Political borders remain important |
|---|---|
| Online communities connect people across states. | Governments can block platforms or restrict internet access. |
| Data may be stored and processed in several countries. | National laws determine privacy and storage requirements. |
| Digital businesses serve users remotely. | States regulate taxation, employment and market access. |
| Information circulates globally within seconds. | Language, infrastructure and unequal access shape participation. |
A common misconception is that the internet is borderless. Its physical infrastructure, including data centres, undersea cables and internet service providers, exists within territories governed by states. Internet use is transnational, but territorial decisions still shape it.
System: The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) governs organizations' processing of personal data. Example specifics: Since 2018, it has applied to some organizations outside the European Union when they offer goods or services to, or monitor, people in the EU.
Impacts and implications: Organizations operating across borders have changed data-processing practices to meet EU requirements. This has strengthened privacy protections, while creating risks of conflicting legal obligations and uneven enforcement between jurisdictions.
Concepts: GDPR shows that data can cross geographic borders while political institutions exercise power over virtual space. Access and flows remain shaped by law and territory.