A/HRC/32/38 regional markets might operate a limited number of these networks or lease network capacity from large carriers in order to connect their subscribers to the Internet. State ownership is fairly common among service providers: Switzerland, for example, holds 51 per cent of the shares in Swisscom AG, 13 and Uruguay owns Antel, a major telecommunications provider in the country.14 While telecommunication and Internet service providers are currently the most common providers of Internet access, a growing number of hybrid companies aim to provide Internet access as well as other Internet-related services.15 2. Design and maintain hardware and operating systems that facilitate information processing and Internet access Hardware firms design and manufacture the computer devices that connect individuals to the Internet. The range of devices equipped with personal computing functions is, however, ever-expanding and impossible to cap, given the avalanche of connectedness widely described as the “Internet of things”, in which digital connection is enabled for all aspects of contemporary existence. Automobiles, refrigerators, televisions and watches are just a few examples of “smart” devices that today incorporate browser, messaging and other Internet-related functions. 17. 18. Further, telecommunication and Internet service providers purchase equipment and other network components that comprise the physical backbone of their networks from infrastructure vendors and equipment manufacturers. These products can range from simple routers and switches to deep packet inspection devices, network filtering and Internet blocking devices, and surveillance monitoring centres. Increasingly these companies also include services, consulting, training and even operation. 3. Allocate web domains 19. Internet addresses (that is, uniform resource locators (URLs)) are allocated and sold by domain name registries and registrars, under the supervision of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit entity. Currently, the world’s largest registrar hosts more than 61 million domain names. 4. Host information 20. Web-hosting services enable users to upload and deliver files and other materials to their readers’ or customers’ browsers. These companies typically also provide data storage, e-mail and other services associated with the websites their customers have purchased. 5. Facilitate aggregating, sharing and searching for information Search engines supply the vital connection between users who search for information, and those who create, aggregate and publish it. Indeed, search engine algorithms dictate what users see and in what priority, and they may be manipulated to restrict or prioritize content. Information searches, however, are not unique to search engines. Content aggregators, specialized research services, social media platforms and professional networks also enable users to search for content. 21. 13 14 15 See www.swisscom.ch/en/about/investors/shares/ownership-structure.html. See www.antel.com.uy/antel/; http://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs181/projects/2006-07/latinamerica/uruguayIntro.html. Google, for example, will provide access to wireless service through its Google Fiber service, in addition to its search, content-hosting and social networking functions, among others. See https://fiber.google.com/about/. 7