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Martin'Warnke'
Heaven&and&Earth&–&Cloud&and&Territory&in&the&Internet&
Abstract&
When%John%Perry%Barlow%declared%Cyberspace%as%independent%from%the%common%territory%and%sphere%of%influ-
ence%by%economy%and%state%in%1996%he%could%not%know%what%happened%afterwards.%All%the%dreams%of%immate-
riality%and%exclusion%from%state%power%had%to%recede%from%a%reality%of%internet%infrastructures%that%became%
more%and%more%massive,%resource%consuming%and%dominant.%
What%developed%into%the%metaphor%of%The%Cloud%at%the%same%time%settled%as%a%highly%influential%new%power%
rivalling%with%democratic%institutions%of%the%state%on%its%territory.%According%to%Galloway%it%is%the%new%means%of%
power,%the%protocol,%that%reigns%technology%and%society.%
The%key%question%of%this%paper%is%if%there%is%a%close%connection%between%the%family%of%internet%protocols%and%
the%regulatory%means%of%state.%My%tentative%answer%is:%yes,%indeed,%there%are%close%connections%between%the%
two%spheres%that%seemingly%were%incompatible:%heaven%(The%Cloud)%and%earth%(the%state%territory)%couple%
strongly.%
The%approach%is%done%by%Luhmannian%Systems%Theory,%the%term%being%“interpenetration“%and%„structural%cou-
pling“.%The%example%will%be%the%Chinese%Social%Credit%System.%%
The%main%thesis%is%that%the%Chinese%Social%Credit%System%couples%its%protocol%to%the%laws%and%regulations%of%
state%and%economy,%also%conceptualised%as%being%protocols,%via%the%internet%as%its%common%language.%It%turns%
out%that%the%coupling%and%interpenetration%could%be%highly%efficient%thus%for%the%first%time%enabling%a%co%evolu-
tion%of%a%highly%mobile%turbo%capitalist%economy%and%a%strict%authoritarian%state%territory,%a%marriage%between%
heaven%and%earth.%
A&very&short&history&of&the&Internet&
The%internet,%as%we%all%know,%is%a%result%of%the%fear%of%the%US%government%to%be%overtaken%by%the%russians.%It%is%
a%child%of%the%cold%war,%an%immediate%effect%of%the%so%called%Sputnic%shoc.%
A%research%agency,%the%ARPA,%did%investigations%for%the%US%government%on%how%the%US%could%catch%up%to%the%
Soviet%Union.%Especially%if%there%were%a%nuclear%war%how%the%military%still%could%function.%Because%it%was%known%
that%a%thermonuclear%strike%would%lead%to%a%nuclear%electromagnetic%pulse%that%brings%down%electronics%like%
telecommunication%devices.%It%would%not%be%possible%any%more%to%maintain%the%command%chain,%orders%from%
the%generals%would%not%reach%the%soldiers.%Absolute%chaos.%
So%the%RAND%Corporation%in%1959%started%work%for%ARPA%on%concepts%of%a%communication%system%that%would%
probably%withstand%the%electromagnetic%pulse.%It%was%Paul%Baran%who%published%a%series%of%reports%on%this%in%
1964,%at%the%same%time%Donald%Davies%had%the%same%technical%idea%in%Great%Britain,%on%how%to%secure%commu-
nication%under%the%conditions%of%a%heavy%nuclear%attack.%It%was%the%idea%of%the%packet%switching%instead%of%the%
common%line%switching%that%was%used%for%the%telephone%connections.%The%lines%are%too%vulnerable,%a%strike%
could%destroy%cables,%no%transmission%through%them%would%then%be%possible%before%repair.%Packet%switching%
could%stand%losses%of%packets%because%they%could%be%sent%repeatedly.%
The%packet%switching%brought%redundancy%to%telecommunications,%and%with%it%brought%resilience,%the%capabili-
ty%to%withstand%damage.%And%it%brought%diversity,%since%the%packets%could%travel%on%whatever%route,%through%
cables,%over%landlines,%by%radio,%you%even%could%implement%packet%switching%with%carrier%pigeons!%This%immen-
se%flexibility%is%a%signature%of%the%internet%of%today.%No%single%carrier%could%monopolise%the%infrastructure,%we%
now%talk%and%exchange%data%by%WiFi,%Ethernet%or%Cellular%Phone%technology,%to%name%a%few,%operated%by%diffe-
2
rent%companies.%Very%many%kinds%of%gadgets%could%use%the%internet:%phones,%computers,%watches,%tablets,%
fridges,%cars.%But%how%could%all%this%work?%Why%isn’t%there%chaos%all%about?%%
It%is%by%conventions.%In%the%case%of%the%internet%and%its%connectivity,%we%call%the%conventions:%protocols!%They%
leave%freedom%for%the%inside%by%maintaining%strict%regulations%at%the%borders%to%the%outside.%In%the%internet%it’s%
all%about%the%protocols.%Protocols%take%care%for%stuff%to%happen%that%would%be%very%improbable%to%happen%wi-
thout%them.%People%call%concepts%like%these:%media.%Protocols%like%the%internet%protocols%are%a%hugely%im-
portant%type%of%digital%media!%They%allow%for%things%to%happen%that%would%never%occur%without%them.%
At%this%point%we%should%employ%Luhmann’s%notion%of%media:%
„We%would%like%to%call%media%the%evolutionary%achievements%that%enter%at%those%possible%breaks%in%communi-
cation%and%that%serve%in%a%functionally%adequate%way%to%transform%what%is%improbable%into%what%is%probable.“ %
1
An%open%systems%theoretical%question%for%me,%by%the%way,%is%wether%the%internet%could%be%qualified%a%s%medium%
of%distribution%alone.%It%also%has%aspects%of%a%language%and%of%a%medium%of%success.%
One%of%the%basic%protocols%of%the%internet%is:%the%internet%protocol!%It%was%issued%by%Jon%Postel%in%1981.%The%do-
cument%is%a%so%called%„Request%for%Comments“,%an%openly%negotiated%proposal.%You%can%look%up%all%those%RFCs%
in%the%internet,%these%are%the%documents%that%make%up%a%huge%part%of%the%history%of%the%internet.%It%is%interes-
ting%to%read%these%documents.%They%are%not%written%in%a%formal%language%but%in%plain%english.%I%quote%directly%
from%RFC%791:%
„1.4.%%Operation%
The%internet%protocol%implements%two%basic%functions:%%addressing%and%fragmentation.%The%internet%modules%
use%the%addresses%carried%in%the%internet%header%to%transmit%internet%datagrams%toward%their%destinations.%%
The%selection%of%a%path%for%transmission%is%called%routing.“ %
2
Protocols%address%%people.%They%are%no%algorithms%but%conventions%written%in%natural%language.%And%exactly%
this%is%one%of%the%reasons%why%they%could%persist%over%such%a%long%period%of%time:%from%1981%up%until%today.%
These%are%37%years%now,%an%eternity.%These%conventions%all%have%to%and%can%be%implemented%in%whatever%pro-
gramming%language%that%is%in%current%use%on%rapidly%evolving%hardware.%
An%internet%packet%header%looks%like%this:%
%
Lets%have%a%look%at%one%of%the%fields:%
%„Time%to%Live:%%8%bits%
%Luhmann%1995,%p.%160.%german:%„Diejenigen%evolutionären%Errungenschaften,%die%an%[…]%Bruchstellen%der%Kommunikati
1-
on%ansetzen%und%funktionsgenau%dazu%dienen,%Unwahrscheinliches%in%Wahrscheinliches%zu%transformieren,%wollen%wir%Me-
dien%nennen.“%Luhmann%1994,%S.%220.
%https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc791
2
3
This%field%indicates%the%maximum%time%the%datagram%is%allowed%to%remain%in%the%internet%system.%%If%this%field%
contains%the%value%zero,%then%the%datagram%must%be%destroyed.%%This%field%is%modified%in%internet%header%pro-
cessing.%%The%time%is%measured%in%units%of%seconds,%but%since%every%module%that%processes%a%datagram%must%
decrease%the%TTL%by%at%least%one%even%if%it%process%the%datagram%in%less%than%a%second,%the%TTL%must%be%
thought%of%only%as%an%upper%bound%on%the%time%a%datagram%may%exist.%%The%intention%is%to%cause%undeliverable%
datagrams%to%be%discarded,%and%to%bound%the%maximum%datagram%lifetime.“ %
3
By%issuing%these%RFCs%everybody%capable%to%do%so%could%influence%the%development%of%the%internet.%The%inter-
net%became%a%place%of%innovation,%of%independence,%a%world%made%up%of%freedom%and%of%ideas.%The%internet%
was%once%part%of%the%counter%culture,%like%LSD,%and%the%hippies.%
The%interesting%aspect%in%respect%to%systems%theory%is:%a%protocol%constitutes%a%binary%relation.%The%service%
works%in%case%the%protocol%is%obeyed,%and%it%is%denied%if%not%followed%strictly,%thus%it%has%also%the%nature%of%a%
code%that%governs%connectivity,%Anschlussfähigkeit,%the%very%same%word%in%english%for%the%technical%and%the%
sociological%term.%Luhmann%did%a%very%similar%characterisation%of%the%way%structural%coupling%takes%place%bet-
ween%autonomous%subsystems:%%
„Structural%coupling%in%this%context%means%transforming%analog%(simultaneous,%continuous)%relations%into%digi-
tal%relations%that%can%be%handled%in%accordance%with%an%either-or%schema,%and%also%intensifying%certain%mutual%
irritation%channels%with%a%high%degree%of%indifference%toward%the%environment.“ %I%take%this%analogy%as%a%hint%
4
that%protocols%have%an%immense%importance%for%structural%coupling,%even%if%we%do%not%mix%up%the%digital%with%
computers.%
Grassroots&
In%1996,%the%lyricist%of%the%Rock%Band%Grateful%Dead%that%also%was%part%of%the%American%counter%culture,%this%
John%Perry%Barlow%published%a%manifesto%to%declare%cyberspace%independent.%It%starts%like%this%
"Governments%of%the%Industrial%World,%you%weary%giants%of%flesh%and%steel,%I%come%from%Cyberspace,%the%new%
home%of%Mind.%On%behalf%of%the%future,%I%ask%you%of%the%past%to%leave%us%alone.%You%are%not%welcome%among%us.%
You%have%no%sovereignty%where%we%gather.“ %%
5
What%was%the%reason%for%such%an%emphatic%outcry?%The%Clinton%administration%in%1996%passed%a%law%to%regulate%
the%internet,%mainly%to%open%it%up%for%regular%business.%This%enraged%the%Internet%people%that%wanted%to%be%left%
alone.%Although%the%beginning%of%this%declaration%still%comes%as%a%request,%almost%a%little%shyly,%similar%to%the%
style%of%the%founding%documents%of%the%Internet,%the%"Requests%for%Comments" ,%the%strong%utopia%of%an%im
6-
material%territory%arose%from%this%manifesto,%which%was%–%or%at%least%should%be%–%free%of%the%power%relations%of%
late%capitalism%and%socialism%and%could%thus%make%everything%new%and%better.%The%internet,%according%to%its%
founders,%should%not%be%part%of%the%state,%it%should%remain%somewhere%else,%at%its%own.%
We%now%know,%two%and%a%half%decades%later,%that%this%idea%shattered%to%pieces.%%
How%the%Internet%as%a%technical-social%utopia%relates%to%the%state,%whether%it%itself%has%a%territory,%if%it%lives%in%a%
cloud,%or%whether%it%perhaps%behaves%exactly%the%other%way%round,%is%what%I%want%to%lay%out%before%you%in%the%
following.%%
%https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc791
3
%Luhmann%2012.%Chapter%IX.%„Auch%hier%besagt%strukturelle%Kopplung:%Umformung%analoger%(gleichzeitiger,%kontinuierli
4-
cher)%Verhältnisse%in%digitale,%die%nach%einem%entweder/oder-%Schema%behandelt%werden%können,%und%ferner%Intensivie-
rung%bestimmter%Bahnen%wechselseitiger%Irritation%bei%hoher%Indifferenz%gegenüber%der%Umwelt%im%übrigen.“%S.%779.
%Barlow%1996.
5
%Internet%Society%2018.
6
4
The&(im)materiality&of&the&Internet&&
"Cyberspace%does%not%lie%within%your%borders.%Do%not%think%that%you%can%build%it,%as%though%it%were%a%public%
construction%project.%You%cannot.%It%is%an%act%of%nature%and%it%grows%itself%through%our%collective%actions.%[…]%
Cyberspace%consists%of%transactions,%relationships,%and%thought%itself,%arrayed%like%a%standing%wave%in%the%web%
of%our%communications.%Ours%is%a%world%that%is%both%everywhere%and%nowhere,%but%it%is%not%where%bodies%live.
[…]%there%is%no%matter%here.%%
Our%identities%have%no%bodies,%so,%unlike%you,%we%cannot%obtain%order%by%physical%coercion.“ %%
7
The%idea%of%the%immateriality%of%information%technology,%in%particular%the%Internet,%here%once%again%in%the%ver-%
sion%by%John%Perry%Barlow,%has%often%been%emphatically%represented,%especially%in%art,%and%is%one%of%the%pillars%
of%the%phantasm%of%cyberspace%as%a%domination-free%area.%Jean%Francois%Lyotard%spread%this%idea%in%the%legen-
dary%exhibition%"Les%Immaterieaux"%at%the%Centre%Pompidou%in%1985,%which%he%supervised,%and%later%said%so-
mething%about%it:%%
"The%term%'immaterial'%is%now%a%somewhat%daring%neologism.%This%merely%expresses%the%fact%that%today%-%and%
this%has%prevailed%in%all%areas%-%the%material%can%no%longer%be%regarded%as%something%that%opposes%a%subject%
like%an%object.%Scientific%analyses%of%matter%show%that%it%is%nothing%more%than%a%state%of%energy,%i.e.%a%connec-%
tion%of%elements%which%themselves%are%not%tangible%and%are%determined%by%structures%which%each%have%only%a%
locally%limited%validity%[...]%The%increasing%mutual%penetration%of%matter%and%spirit%-%equally%clearly%through%the%
use%of%word%processing%systems%-%now%causes%the%classical%problem%of%the%unity%of%body%and%soul%to%shift.%“ %%
8
This%did%not%remain%without%contradiction.%Horst%Bredekamp,%the%famous%art%historian%for%example,%commen-
ted%on%ideas%of%immateriality%like%this:%%
"It%is%an%abstruse%thought%that%a%picture%on%a%screen%would%be%material-free.%Video%artists,%especially%those%of%
the%first%generation,%have%pointed%this%out%by%using%the%television%as%a%sculpture.%The%moving%or%non-moving%
images%of%the%screens%are%afflicted%with%a%logistics%that%exceeds%the%Florentine%Pietà%of%Michelangelo%many%
times%over%in%material%gravity.“ %
9
And%so%it%seems%at%least%doubtful%how%Barlow%situated%the%role%of%the%digital%media%in%the%political%field:%"In%
China,%Germany,%France,%Russia,%Singapore,%Italy%and%the%United%States,%you%are%trying%to%ward%off%the%virus%of%
liberty%by%erecting%guard%posts%at%the%frontiers%of%Cyberspace.%These%may%keep%out%the%contagion%for%a%small%
time,%but%they%will%not%work%in%a%world%that%will%soon%be%blanketed%in%bit-bearing%media.“%%
Was%this%utopian%or%naïve?%
The&Cloud&and&Technical&Gravity:&Protocols,&Networks&and&Territories&&
In%the%debate%about%the%Internet,%the%structure%and%logic%of%the%Internet%has%been%the%subject%of%public%debate,%
and%this%may%have%led%to%the%false%impression%that%it%is%somehow%immaterial.%And%indeed:%although%computers%
and%their%functionality%can%be%described%physically%within%the%framework%of%solid%state%physics,%they%gain%their%
epochal%significance%above%all%through%the%fact%that%they%perform%symbol%processing.%The%computer%deprived%
humankind%of%its%special%position%of%being%solely%responsible%for%the%symbolic.%Computers%operate%in%the%sym-
bolic%and%exist%in%the%real!%
It%is%no%exaggeration%to%say%that%the%"protocol"%is%the%central%type%of%document%that%constitutes%not%only%the%
technology%but%also%the%social%and%political%aspects%of%the%Internet.%The%term%was%originally%coined%in%diploma-
cy,%protocols%describe%the%rules%that%must%be%observed%to%ensure%the%smooth%functioning%of%a%process.%And%
%Barlow%1996.
7
%Lyotard%1990.
8
%Huber/Kerscher%1998%,%S.%39%ff.
9
5
what%applies%to%the%facilitation%of%diplomatic%encounters%even%among%opponents%of%war%also%applies%to%techni-
cal%components%and%their%competing%operators:%as%long%as%one%adheres%to%the%protocol,%the%exchange%can%be%
continued,%if%one%violates%it,%the%communication%breaks%down,%and%everything%stops.%It%is%a%hardly%noticeable,%
non-violent%form%of%domination,%but%it%is%without%mercy.%No%complaints%or%appeals%help:%disregarding%the%In-
ternet%protocol,%for%example,%is%immediately%punished%by%an%error%message%and%the%termination%of%the%data%
exchange.%%
Alexander%Galloway%wrote%an%important%book%about%protocols.%He%describes%how%our%society%has%reached%its%
current%state%of%development,%and%its%title%is:%protocol %
10
„How%would%control%exist%after%decentralization?%In%former%times%control%was%a%little%easier%to%explain.%In%what%
Michel%Foucault%called%the%sovereign%societies%of%the%classical%era,%characterized%by%centralized%power%and%
sovereign%fiat,%control%existed%as%an%extension%of%the%word%and%deed%of%the%master,%assisted%by%violence%and%
other%coercive%factors.%Later,%the%disciplinary%societies%of%the%modern%era%took%hold,%replacing%violence%with%
more%bureaucratic%forms%of%command%and%control.%%
Deleuze%has%extended%this%periodization%into%the%present%day%by%suggesting%that%after%the%disciplinary%socie-%
ties%come%the%societies%of%control" .%"[P]rotocol%is%how%technological%control%exists%after%decentralization.“ %%
11 12
Control%and%thus%power%are%maintained%by%protocols.%%
What%is%special%about%the%technical%protocols%of%connectivity,%which,%according%to%Galloway,%has%so%strongly%
shaped%our%society%today?%The%Internet%Protocol%IP,%for%example,%regulates%how%the%data%packets%that%are%sent%
across%the%Internet%must%be%structured.%It%does%not%matter%to%the%IP%which%technical%infrastructure%is%used,%as%
long%as%it%adheres%to%the%protocol%rules.%There%is%also%no%explicit%coding%of%the%geographical%location%of%the%
sender.%And%it%doesn't%matter%what%the%content%of%the%data%stream%actually%is,%the%protocol%levels%above%regu-
late%it,%like%the%ones%for%email,%for%the%web,%or%for%the%social%media.%The%downward%indifference%subsequently%
made%possible%innovative%network%technologies,%such%as%the%Internet%via%mobile%telephony,%which%is%now%used%
in%every%smartphone%and%was%not%yet%conceivable%in%1983;%the%upward%indifference%finally%made%possible%con-
tent%and%functions%that%are%dominant%today%but%still%unthinkable%in%1983:%Social%media,%television%on%the%net,%
surveillance%of%the%entire%population.%%
So%do%we%live%basically%in%a%virtual%disciplinary%society%with%voluntary%disciplinization%through%smart%self-moni-
toring%techniques%–%in%other%words,%an%incorporation%of%the%panoptic%principle%into%the%individual?%Probably%
not,%since%the%differences%between%control%and%discipline%are%too%great,%as%are%the%differences%between%volun-
tariness%and%coercion.%The%observance%of%protocols%expands%possibilities,%violence%limits%them.%Protocols%ap-
peal%to%desire,%coercion%to%the%mind.%The%techniques%of%self-optimization%seduce,%laws%force%us.%Protocols%
disappear%from%our%attention%–%also%a%typical%characteristic%of%a%medium%–,%against%orders%one%can%rebel.%In%
Frieder%Nake's%categorization,%protocols%act%on%the%"subface",%which,%unlike%the%surface,%remains%invisible:%
"The%surface%is%visible.%It%is%for%us.%The%subface%is%invisible.%It%is%for%the%computers.%The%computer%can%change%
the%subface,%it%can%manipulate%it.%The%surface%does%not%have%this%property." %
13
The%crucial%point%for%the%relationship%between%the%Internet%and%the%state%seems%to%me%to%be%precisely%the%qual-%
ity%that%is%at%stake%here:%the%complete%indifference%of%Internet%technology%towards%its%political%environment.%
This%has%nourished%the%idea%that%the%Internet%is%somewhere,%nowhere:%in%the%cloud,%not%on%the%earth.%%On%the%
one%hand,%this%has%led%so%many%founding%mothers%and%fathers%of%the%Internet%to%egalitarian%grassroots%fanta-
sies,%but%on%the%other%hand%it%has%also%led%to%the%current%situation%in%which%the%Internet%appears%both%as%a%dri-
ving%force%of%social%change%and%as%a%means%of%repression%for%authoritarian%regimes.%The%Internet%simply%doesn't%
%MIT%Press%2004.
10
%Galloway%2004,%p.%3.
11
%Ebd.%p.%8.
12
%Nake%2008,%S.%149.%Translated%by%DeepL%and%M.W.
13
6
care%whom%it%serves.%And%it%doesn't%matter%to%it%that%it%promotes%all%communication%processes%and%the%concen-
tration%of%power%as%rapidly%as%no%media%technology%before%it. %%As%a%communications%infrastructure,%the%Inter
14 -
net%does%not%favour%any%form%of%society%or%state;%its%connectivity%acts%more%like%a%catalyst%or%accelerator%of%
social%development,%supporting%and%empowering%those%who%design%and%operate%it.%%
The%fact%that%there%is%at%all%a%connection%between%state%power%and%Internet%technology%is%not%due%to%the%rules%
of%protocol,%but%to%the%operation%of%the%network%itself,%which%we%are%now%coming%to.%%
All%those%who%still%believe%in%the%immateriality%of%the%Internet%are%recommended%to%visit%a%data%centre.%These%
are%highly%secured%industrial%plants%that%consume%an%enormous%amount%of%electrical%energy%and%therefore%
have%an%enormous%need%for%cooling,%which%not%only%operate%the%central%servers%that%store%and%organise%the%
content,%but%also%mediate%and%regulate%data%traffic,%all%nodes%of%the%network.%Every%node%on%the%Internet%that%
governs%the%data%flow%for%a%subnet%marks%the%relationship%between%inside%and%outside%for%this%subnet.%When%
the%Internet%was%built,%the%protocols%did%not%regulate%national%responsibilities,%nobody%even%thought%that%a%
data%packet%should%take%a%different%route%than%the%fastest%one%from%sender%to%recipient.%In%every%switch%or%rou-
ter,%there%are%address%and%connection%directories,%routing%tables%for%this%purpose,%on%the%basis%of%which%the%
routing%in%the%Internet%happens%automatically,%unaffected%by%the%borders%of%a%territory.%%
But%the%world%did%not%remain%libertarian%and%hippy-like%as%imagined%by%the%nerds%who%invented%the%Internet%in%
the%first%place.%The%active%network%components,%the%switches%and%routers,%are%located%somewhere%and%are%
operated%by%someone,%and%the%indifferent%protocols%do%not%care%whether%the%routing%tables%follow%political%
rules%of%geographical%restrictions%at%borders%or%whether%there%are%economic%goals%of%companies%or%whether%
simply%the%original%efficiency%of%data%traffic%should%be%the%main%idea.%If%you%request%a%website%in%a%country%with%
Internet%external%border%control%that%is%inadmissible%in%this%state,%then%there%is%no%technical%connection%to%the%
associated%network%components%in%the%accessible%routers,%and%the%query%runs%into%the%void.%If%right%now%me-
mories%of%your%last%visit%to%China%come%to%your%mind%then%this%is%significant.%Even%circumvention%practices,%
tunneling%mechanisms%such%as%VPN%or%proxy%servers%could%be%blocked%by%the%routers.%This%is%how%the%Internet%
is%earthed.%And%this%grounding%characterizes%the%respective%variety%of%the%local%Internet:%state-regulated%vs.%
neo-liberally%economically%oriented%or%net-neutral%indifferent%according%to%its%founding%idea.%%
The%Internet%has%its%head%in%the%cloud%and%its%feet%firmly%on%the%ground.%
John%Perry%Barlow%observed%%the%Internet%as%a%cloud%in%contrast%to%the%background%of%the%territory :%
15
%
From%the%point%of%view%of%the%operators%of%terrestrial%%networks%it%rather%looks%like%this:%
%
I%use%Spencer%Brown’s%forms%in%the%metaphorical%way%as%Dirk%Baecker%does.%It%is%well%a%matter%of%dispute%we-
ther%I%should%do%so,%but%this%very%condensed,%almost%poetic%form%has%a%certain%appeal%to%me.%
The&many&borders&of&the&Internet:&The&Case&of&China's&Social&Credit&System&&
Because%of%the%functional%differentiation%of%a%modern%society,%state%borders%and%the%borders%of%the%functional%
subsystems%of%society%no%longer%fall%into%one.%While%in%the%disciplinary%societies%with%strictly%hierarchical%orga-
nisation%all%spheres%of%power%were%united%under%the%absolute%ruler,%the%king%or%emperor,%and%the%borders%of%the%
empire%were%also%those%of%trade,%political%power%and%law.%But%the%control%societies%built%their%own%subsystems%
Internet&=&Cloud&&&Territorium
Internet&=&Territorium&&&&Cloud
%Warnke,%2013.
14
%George%Spencer-Brown%1969.
15
7
with%their%own%borders:%languages%marked%nations,%trade%is%getting%global%by%complex%regulatory%institutions%
at%the%state%borders:%customs,%immigration,%international%telecommunications%organisations,%capital%flow%
seems%to%have%almost%no%limits%at%all.%
Niklas%Luhmann%writes:%%
„The%distinction%[…]%between%the%environment%as%a%whole%and%the%systems%in%a%system’s%environment,%explains%
how%boundaries%are%put%under%pressure%to%improve%their%performance,%that%is,%explains%how%a%more%exacting%
determination%and%preservation%of%boundaries%becomes%necessary.%System%boundaries%always%separate%out%an%
environment,%but%the%requirements%for%this%vary%if%the%system%must%distinguish%other%systems%(and%their%envi-
ronments)%within%its%own%environment%and%adjust%its%boundaries%to%this%distinction.%In%the%simplest%case,%the%
system%treats%its%environment%as%another%system.%Thus%national%boundaries%are%frequently%conceived%as%boun-
daries%with%another%nation.%But%this%becomes%increasingly%illusory%when%relations%with%an%economic,%political,%
scientific,%or%educational%"abroad"%no%longer%correspond%to%these%same%national%boundaries.%Under%such%cir-
cumstances,%the%boundary%definition%moves%inside;%this%is%confirmed%in%self-referentially%closed%systems,%
which%determine%their%boundaries%by%their%mode%of%operation%and%mediate%all%contact%with%the%environment%
through%other%levels%of%reality.“ %%
16
The%tension%that%we%can%observe%between%statehood%and%technical%communication%infrastructure%is%that%be-%
tween%conflicting%boundaries%between%systems%and%their%environments.%Boundaries%make%themselves%felt%
very%concretely%where,%for%example,%commercial%enterprises%need%an%Internet%that%functions%globally%and%is%
only%committed%to%economic%needs%in%order%to%coordinate%their%global%research%and%development%and%marke-
ting%activities,%but%where%they%come%up%against%state%boundaries%that%prevent%a%libertine%exchange%of%data,%for%
example%because%they%open%a%dependency%in%the%People's%Republic%of%China.%This%creates%boundaries%within%
the%subsystems:%management%must%be%staffed%with%party%functionaries,%for%example,%and%communication%
must%be%interrupted%because%of%state%censorship,%which%runs%counter%to%the%autonomy%of%the%economic%sys-
tem.%The%idea%of%the%cloud%where%information%is%meant%to%live%hits%the%reality%of%a%state%territory%quite%roughly.%%
In%a%decentralised%world%society,%whose%technical%constitution%is%regulated%by%protocols,%it%can%be%speculated,%
however,%whether%the%idea%of%protocol%might%not%bring%the%solution%here.%In%any%case,%a%digital%data%optimism%
of%Barlowian%coinage%is%no%longer%a%rational%position%that%can%be%maintained.%
Now%to%our%small%case%study.%It%deals%with%the%Chinese%"social%credit%system“,%planned%for%2020,%that%works%
with%precisely%the%same%digital%media%that%were%supposed%to%be%the%absolute%contrary%to%any%state%power%in%
the%Declaration%of%Independence%of%Cyberspace%1996.%Interestingly%enough,%the%term%„credit“%is%central%here,%
as%it%also%used%by%Luhmann%when%pointing%out%that%central%control%could%not%work%for%a%differentiated%society:%%
„Finally,%there%was%and%remained%world%society,%in%which%all%this%was%expected%to%take%place%within%territorial%
boundaries,%a%functionally%differentiated%system%that%owed%its%own%effectiveness%to%the%autonomy%of%functio-
nal%systems%and%was%not%to%be%combined%with%any%sort%of%central%control.%This%applied%above%all%to%the%credit%
system%of%international%finance,%which%could%guarantee%a%certain%flexibility%in%the%timing%of%investment%and%
consumption,%which%was%crucial%for%growing%regional%development.%Naturally,%it%also%applied%to%international%
affairs,%to%scientific%research,%and%not%least%to%everything%that%interested%intellectuals.%Any%insistence%on%orga-
nizationally%controlled,%regional%autonomies%is%quite%simply%not%compatible%with%this.%The%attempt%to%introdu-
ce%this%sort%of%modernization%in%modern%society%had%to%be%at%the%cost%of%stagnation,%a%drain%on%last%power%re-
sources,%diminishing%acceptance,%and%finally%the%collapse%of%the%‚system.‘“ %
17
So%we%could%wonder:%how%could%a%modernization%of%the%Chinese%society%work%out%without%central%control%for%
which%it%acquired%some%fame%from%its%communist%history?%My%impression%is:%by%a%protocol.%
%Luhmann%1995,%p.%30.
16
%Luhmann%2012.%Vol%2.%
17
8
The%whole%thing,%the%Social%Credit%System,%is%based%on%the%implementation%of%a%protocol%that%is%absolutely%not%
socially%indifferent%because%it%regulates%social%issues%precisely%and%absolutely%rationally.%As%you%might%know,%it%
intends%to%implement%the%massive%collection%of%very%personal%data%from%all%sources,%its%valuation%into%social%
credit%points%from%which,%in%the%end,%positive%or%negative%feedback%is%generated%by%the%power%of%the%state.%All%
this%is%technically%based%on%the%connectivity%of%the%internet.%It%is%a%social%protocol,%one%that%works%on%the%basis%
of%all%the%politically%blind%technical%Internet%protocols%invented%by%the%nerds%and%hippies%in%the%1980s,%groun-
ded%by%sovereign%control%over%the%network%infrastructure%on%state%territory.%
The%fact%that%the%Chinese%social%credit%system%is%a%phenomenon%of%the%involvement%of%political%and%economic%
boundaries%is%stated%explicitly:%%
"Our%country%is%in%a%period%of%expansion%in%which%the%openness%levels%of%the%economy%are%rising%on%an%even%
greater%scale,%across%even%broader%fields,%and%at%even%deeper%levels.%Economic%globalization%has%enabled%an%
incessant%increase%of%our%country's%openness%towards%the%world,%and%economic%and%social%interaction%with%
other%countries%and%regions%is%becoming%ever%closer.%Perfecting%the%social%credit%system%is%a%necessary%conditi-
on%to%deepen%international%cooperation%and%exchange,%establishing%international%brands%and%reputations,%re-
ducing%foreign-related%transaction%costs,%and%improving%the%country's%soft%power%and%international%influence,%
and%is%an%urgent%requirement%to%promote%the%establishment%of%an%objective,%fair,%reasonable%and%balanced%
international%credit%rating%system,%to%adapt%to%the%new%circumstances%of%globalization,%and%master%new%globa-
lized%structures.“ %
18
The%social%credit%system%is%called%a%"necessary%condition",%i.e.%the%indispensable%prerequisite%for%the%territorial%
borders%of%the%Chinese%state%being%able%to%cross%the%system-environment%boundary%of%the%global%market%in%the%
cloud%without%dissolving%both%interpenetrating%systems%through%lethal%boundary%damage.%%
The%claim%of%the%planning%is%truly%comprehensive,%here%it%is%not%only%about%financial%creditworthiness,%as%we%
know%it%from%our%Schufa,%here%the%etymology%of%the%word%"credit"%of%credo,%the%credibility%in%the%others,%again%
comes%to%honor.%The%beginning%of%the%declaration%of%the%Council%of%State%of%the%People's%Republic%of%China%
reads:%
„A%social%credit%system%is%an%important%component%part%of%the%Socialist%market%economy%system%and%the%social%
governance%system.%It%is%founded%on%laws,%regulations,%standards%and%charters,%it%is%based%on%a%complete%net-
work%covering%the%credit%records%of%members%of%society%and%credit%infrastructure,%it%is%supported%by%the%lawful%
application%of%credit%information%and%a%credit%services%system,%its%inherent%requirements%are%establishing%the%
idea%of%an%sincerity%culture,%and%carrying%forward%sincerity%and%traditional%virtues,%it%uses%encouragement%to%
keep%trust%and%constraints%against%breaking%trust%as%incentive%mechanisms,%and%its%objective%is%raising%the%ho-
nest%mentality%and%credit%levels%of%the%entire%society.“%%Und%„Completely%moving%the%construction%of%a%social%
credit%system%forward%is%an%effective%method%to%strengthen%social%sincerity,%stimulate%mutual%trust%in%society,%
and%reducing%social%contradictions,%and%is%an%urgent%requirement%for%strengthening%and%innovating%social%go-
vernance,%and%building%a%Socialist%harmonious%society.“%
Sincerity%is%pretty%much%the%most%commonly%used%word%in%this%text.%It%is%the%positive%side%of%a%code%to%be%en-
forced%through%the%social%credit%system.%It%is%not%only%about%finances,%but%also%about%morality,%about%the%values%
of%a%desirable%state,%and%this%in%all%conceivable%fields%of%society.%The%list%is%long%and%tiring,%ranging%from%the%al-
location%of%credit%lines%to%the%correct%behaviour%of%civil%servants,%care%of%the%elderly,%science,%education%and%
tourism.%Incentives%should%be%given%and%violations%should%be%punished.%For%road%traffic%there%is%the%passage:%
"Enter%citizens'%traffic%safety%and%law-breaking%situation%into%sincerity%files,%stimulate%all%members%of%society%to%
raise%their%consciousness%about%traffic%security",%and%to%this%end%we%imagine%the%massive%surveillance%of%the%
Chinese%public%space%with%video%cameras%that%support%individual%facial%recognition.%
The%decisive%question%is%probably%whether%it%can%actually%come%to%the%co-evolution%of%socialism%and%the%mar-
ket,%a%development%that%no%classical%theory%of%society%or%economy%thought%possible%and%which%can%perhaps%
%Staatsrat%der%Volksrepublik%China%2014.
18
9
only%be%realized%through%a%hierarchy%of%technical%and%social%protocols.%The%technical%medium%of%the%interpene-
tration%emerging%here%seems%to%be%the%Internet%and%its%global%connectivity%by%protocols,%which%allows%a%cou-
pling%both%to%politics%and%to%the%economy,%precisely%because%of%its%blindness%to%both%spheres.%%
The%market%capitalisation%of%Internet%companies%alone%shows%that%the%Internet%is%perfectly%linked%to%the%eco-
nomy.%But%that%it%also%offers%perfect%connectivity%to%(police)%state%methods%of%surveillance%is%now%becoming%
obvious%through%the%profiling%by%the%social%media,%the%omnipresence%of%geolocalization%and%the%voluntary%
body%searches%by%self-optimizers,%all%three%notions%stemming%from%a%typical%Police%Recognition%Department%
but%also%part%of%our%digital%lives.%%We%thus%have%a%classic%case%of%the%interpenetration%of%two%functional%subsys-
tems%of%society,%and%the%medium%that%couples%both%to%the%state%and%to%the%economy%is%the%Internet:%grounded%
to%the%territory,%global%like%the%cloud.%Here%issues%of%theory%once%again%emerge.%How%could%we%name%this?%Is%
this%a%matter%of%language%as%in%the%case%of%other%system%interpenetrations?%
How%a%possible%structural%coupling%between%consciousness%and%communication%could%be%possible%not%by%natu-
ral%language%but%by%computers,%Elena%Esposito%has%worked%out: %
19
»under%conditions%of%sufficient%autonomy%of%the%system,%self-irritation%can%proceed%even%without%appropriate%
autopoietic%operation%in%the%environment%–%we%could%say:%without%participation%of%a%second%consciousness%
(and%here%we%are%obviously%already%thinking%of%computers%…)« %
20
Here%she%has%already%pointed%out%the%return%of%the%mystery,%the%impossibility%of%attributing%communicative%
episodes%to%persons.%
„Through%the%mediation%of%computers,%society%has%created%a%new%form%of%intransparency%and%potential%irritati-
on,%which%however%remains%on%a%"second%level",%because%sooner%or%later%it%presupposes%a%re-synchronization%
with%a%psychological%event:%sooner%or%later%someone%has%to%understand%what%the%computer%says.“ %
21
And,%indeed,%the%SCS%is%supposed%to%appear%impersonal%and%silent%and%invisible%like%Ka€a's%Schloss%bureaucra-
cy.%People%and%faces%appear%when%you%look%at%the%members%of%the%Chinese%State%Council,%and%even%then%you%
can't%get%rid%of%the%impression%of%watching%masks.%
China%is%also%technically%exactly%the%right%nation%for%such%interpenetration:%the%state%is%autocratic%and%the%IT%
infrastructure%is%a%monoculture.%Everything%is%paid%with%AliPay%in%WeChat,%there,%in%this%monopolistic%social%
medium,%all%photos,%all%chats,%all%financial%transactions,%all%geodata%are%state-monitored.%The%design%and%use%of%
the%Internet%is%becoming%a%state%goal,%and%the%State%Council%of%the%Communist%Party%of%China%has%adopted%
such%a%goal%in%2014%in%the%form%of%the%social%credit%system,%as%already%mentioned.%Its%reign%shall%be%silent%and%
unshakable.%Violations%are%punished%non-violently%by%the%fact%that%social%participation%becomes%impossible%in%
a%relentless%binary%manner.%Anyone%who%can%no%longer%get%a%loan%from%a%bank%because%of%insufficient%social%
credit,%can%no%longer%buy%train%or%plane%tickets,%can%no%longer%rent%an%apartment%and%can%no%longer%get%a%job,%
has%got%himself%a%social%error%message%and%the%termination%of%the%social%process,%impersonal,%merciless,%ine-
scapable.%The%parallelism%in%the%functioning%of%the%social%credit%system%with%the%technical%protocols%of%the%In-
ternet%is%obvious.%On%the%other%hand%it%differs%from%Bentham's%Panoptikon,%as%Foucault%described%it%in%"Surveil-
lance%and%Punishment",%in%that%it%takes%place%invisibly%and%without%physical%coercion,%on%the%subface.%Once%the%
social%credit%system%planned%for%2020%has%been%implemented,%participation%in%social%life%will%be%tied%to%submis-
sion%to%it.%It%works%piquantly%with%the%very%digital%media%that%Barlow's%declaration%of%independence%in%1996%was%
supposed%to%guarantee:%separation%from%the%state%and%individual%freedom.%
%Esposito%2001%and%Esposito%2002%p.%287%ff.
19
%Esposito%2001:%„unter%Bedingungen%ausreichender%Autonomie%des%Systems%kann%die%Selbstirritation%auch%ohne%entspre
20 -
chende%autopoietische%Operation%in%der%Umwelt%Vorgehen%–%wir%könnten%sagen:%ohne%Teilnahme%eines%zweiten%Bewußt-
seins%(und%hier%denken%wir%offensichtlich%schon%an%Computer%…)“%p%247.%transl.%DeepL
%„Durch%die%Vermittlung%der%Computer%hat%sich%die%Gesellschaft%eine%neue%Form%von%Intransparenz%und%potentieller%Irrita
21 -
tion%geschafft,%die%jedoch%auf%einer%„zweiten%Ebene“%bleibt,%weil%sie%früher%oder%später%eine%Re-Synchronisierung%mit%einem%
psychischen%Ereignis%voraussetzt:%früher%oder%später%muß%jemand%verstehen,%was%der%Computer%sagt.“%transl%DeepL
10
China’s%view%on%the%internet%could%be%characterized%as%the%unity%of%the%difference%between%territory%and%cloud,%
a%re-entry%in%the%terminology%by%Spencer%Brown:%
%
The&Internet&as&a&State&Signature&
If%we%try%a%comparison%of%systems,%if%we%distinguish%Far%Eastern%socialist%state%capitalism%from%the%liberal%par-
liamentary%democracies%of%Europe%with%functioning%informational%self-determination%and,%finally,%from%the%
unbounded%neoliberal%USA,%which%permits%an%unbridled%land%seizure%by%Internet%corporations,%the%central%im-
portance%of%state%regulation%or%non-regulation%of%the%Internet%for%a%state%constitution%becomes%obvious.%Due%
to%the%fundamental%significance%of%the%Internet%with%its%protocols,%its%grounding%in%the%territory%and%its%mobili-
ty%in%the%cloud,%its%function%as%a%coupling%medium%between%autonomous%social%subsystems,%it%is%almost%the%
signature%of%a%state%whether%and%how%it%regulates%its%Internet%infrastructure.%For,%according%to%Dirk%Baecker:%
"And%[...]%the%next%society?%Since%the%introduction%of%the%computer,%their%problem%is%no%longer%the%surplus%of%
criticism,%but%the%surplus%of%control.“ %And%truly:%functional%subsystems%can%be%connected%to%each%other%via%
22
the%Internet%and%controlled%via%cross-system%databases.%Machine%learning%and%artificial%intelligence%play%the%
role%of%automatic%omnipresent%guards%at%the%data%interfaces.%The%Internet%is%the%completion%of%the%decentrali-
zed%control%society.%It%also%marks%the%unity%of%the%contradiction%between%centrality%and%decentrality,%between%
seduction%and%control.%And%this%is%precisely%why%societies%and%their%states%differ%fundamentally%in%the%way%they%
deal%with%control.%The%achievement%of%informational%self-determination%then%becomes%the%antithesis%of%a%
market-liberal%data%delimitation%as%well%as%a%total%control%and%sanctioning%of%state%capitalism.%
The%platforms,%the%surfaces%of%the%Big%Data%subfaces,%on%which%functions%of%the%subsystems%meet,%play%a%spe-
cial%role%here:%Google,%Facebook,%Twitter,%Amazon%and%their%counterparts%in%the%People's%Republic%of%China:%
Baidu,%Renren,%WeChat%and%Alibaba.%Whoever%controls%them,%who%have%grown%so%boisterously%on%the%Internet,%
controls%a%crucial%infrastructure%of%society.%But%that%also%means:%if%we%really%want%to%enforce%our%German%con-
stitution,%the%Grundgesetz,%and%thus%preserve%the%article%on%freedom%of%the%press,%Article%5%GG,%or%the%article%
on%postal%and%telecommunications%secrecy,%Article%10%GG,%then%we%have%to%deal%with%the%social%media%plat-
forms!%The%Network%Enforcement%Act,%Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz,%of%2017%has%thus%made%a%start,%and%the%
outcry%from%parts%of%the%network%industry%has%confirmed%that%the%legislator%has%made%a%decisive%point.%But%this%
will%probably%not%be%enough,%as%the%example%of%the%social%credit%system%of%the%People's%Republic%of%China%
shows,%which%can%only%function%because%a%platform-supported%vertically%consistent%and%monopolistic%collec-
tion%of%the%data%up%to%the%provision%of%the%services%with%the%right%of%access%of%the%state%power%enables%the%con-
trol%of%all%social%subsystems%equally.%The%separation%of%powers%will%also%have%to%be%called:%Platform%splitting!%
The%inter-,%counter-%and%superimposition%of%globally%and%territorially%operating%platforms%on%the%basis%of%Inter-
net-based%data%flows%creates%new%border%relationships%that%differentiate%themselves,%crossing%each%other%au-
tonomously.%State%borders%have%become%tremendously%complex,%they%can%no%longer%be%drawn%on%political%
maps,%they%not%only%end%at%border%fences,%but%also%at%access%possibilities%to%data%infrastructures,%right%up%to%
the%chips%that%are%built%into%network%components.%State%hacking%is%an%act%of%territorial%border%violation%that%is%
becoming%increasingly%apparent.%A%citizen%remains%under%the%control%of%his%or%her%state%platforms%even%abroad%
if%he%or%she%only%continues%to%use%them.%And%how%should%they%not!%
And%so%Perry%Barlow%was%right%in%a%way,%despite%all%the%failure%of%hopes:%so%that%cyberspace%could%have%remai-
ned%a%place%of%mind%and%freedom,%the%state%and%the%weary%giants%of%flesh%and%steel,%and%to%add:%of%data,%should%
have%kept%away.%
But%they%didn't.%
Internet&=&Territorium&&&&Cloud
%Baecker%2007,%S.%169.%Transl%DeepL.
22
11
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de/tp/features/Unabhaengigkeitserklaerung-des-Cyberspace-3410887.html%download%am%28.9.2018.%deutsch%
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Bernard,%Andreas,%2017:%Komplizen%des%Erkennungsdienstes.%Frankfurt%am%Main.%
Galloway,%Alexander%R.,%2004:%Protocol.%How%Control%Exists%after%Decentralization.%%
Huber,%Hans%Dieter/Kerscher,%Gottfried,%1998:%Kunstgeschichte%im%"Iconic%Turn“%–%Ein%Interview%mit%Horst%Bre-
dekamp.%in:%Huber,%Hans%Dieter%(Hrsg.):%kritische%Berichte.%Zeitschrift%für%Kunst-%und%Kulturwissenschaften,%
Sonderheft%Netzkunst,%Jg.%26,%Heft%1.%
Internet%Society%https://www.rfc-editor.org/%2018.%
Luhmann,%Niklas,%1995:%Social%Systems.%Stanford.%Originally:%1984:%Soziale%Systeme.%Grundriß%einer%allgemei-
nen%Theorie.%Frankfurt%am%Main.%
Luhmann,%Niklas,%2012.%Theory%of%Society,%Vol.%2,%transl.%by%Barrett,%Rhodes.%Stanford.%orig.%Die%Gesellschaft%
der%Gesellschaft,%1998.%
Lyotard,%Jean%Francois,%1990.%in%kunstforum%international,%Köln,%Juni/Juli%1990.%
Nake,%Frieder:%Zeigen,%Zeichnen%und%Zeichen:%Der%verschwundene%Lichtgriffel.%in:%Hellige,%Hans%Dieter%(Hrsg.):%
Mensch-Computer-Interface:%Zur%Geschichte%und%Zukunft%der%Computerbedienung,%2008,%S.%121-154.%
Spencer-Brown,%George,%1969:%Laws%of%Form,%London.%%
Staatsrat%der%Volksrepublik%China%2014:%社会信体系建设规划纲要,%%http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/
2014-06/27/content_8913.htm.%Hier%eine%inoffizielle%Übersetzung:%Creemers,%Rogier:%https://chinacopy-
rightandmedia.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/planning-outline-for-the-construction-of-a-social-credit-
system-2014-2020/,%download%1.10.2018.%I%very%much%thank%Prof.%Martin%Woesler%for%his%support%on%all%of%this.%
Warnke,%Martin/Coy,%Wolfgang/Tholen,%Georg%Christoph,%2005:%HyperKult%II.%Zur%Ortsbestimmung%analoger%
und%digitaler%Medien,%Bielefeld.%
Warnke,%Martin,%2011:%Theorien%des%Internet.%Hamburg.%
Warnke,%Martin,%2013:%Databases%as%citadels%in%the%web%2.0.%in:%Lovink,%Geert;%Rasch,%Miriam%(Hrsg.):%Unlike%Us%
Reader,%Social%Media%Monopolies%and%Their%Alternatives,%Amsterdam.
