| Consequences | Largest-ever surveillance state |
| Rules enforced | Stringent privacy • Increased security protocols • Regulation of technology development |
| Threats mitigated | Cyberattacks • Data breaches • Privacy invasion |
| Alternate timeline | Yes |
| International governance bodies | Digital Safety Committee • International Data Security Council |
| Causes for slower technological development | Caution • Regulation • Threats from rival powers • Organized crime |
Cybersecurity and technology evolved more slowly and deliberately in this alternate timeline than in ours. With widespread societal concern about the risks and unintended consequences of rapid innovation, laws, and regulations were enacted early on to limit and control technology. As global networks arose, international regulatory bodies were deemed necessary to protect against evolving threats to cybersecurity.
Given the potential for misuse and unchecked power that unrestrained technological development represents, governments in this reality took a much more cautious approach to allowing the growth of digital technology. National and international laws were quickly enacted, limiting the reach and capabilities of private corporations and individuals to build out the internet. This created a more fragmented and regulated network of networks, with infrastructure developed at a slower pace.
The slow pace of technology development in this timeline did not prevent cybersecurity threats from arising, as hostile foreign nations and organized crime networks saw opportunities to assert control over the digital landscape. Attacks on critical infrastructure, data breaches, and incidents of misinformation proliferated in the first decades of the 21st century. What distinguished this reality, however, was a more coordinated international response to these evolving threats.
As it became apparent that witnessing cyberwarfare, identity theft, and other forms of malicious activity on the internet was no longer acceptable, the international community began building powerful multilateral organizations dedicated to regulating the digital environment. These bodies set and enforced stringent standards on all aspects of the internet, including privacy protections, data security, and safe use of technology. One important standard is the International Internet Safety Treaty (IIST), which has been ratified by over 150 countries.
In the quest for tighter cybersecurity and full compliance with international standards, a massive surveillance state has developed in order to track and monitor users and networks for potential violations. These surveillance mechanisms, which are integrated into everyday digital life, have led to a deep ambivalence among the populace about the trade-offs between safety and privacy. This ambivalence has fueled the growth of a powerful global civil rights movement to limit the extent of such surveillance.
In this alternate timeline, the slower, more deliberate growth of cybersecurity and digital technology has been met with an equally forceful response from nation-states and organized criminal networks. International governance bodies have emerged, enabling the regulation of the digital environment, but at the cost of creating a large-scale surveillance state.
