Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Internet has become such an integral part of computer users' daily existence that it seems as if
it has always been there.
The Internet with its unique borders - or lack of borders - places an enormous burden on
geographically based legal systems. Regulation, that has specifically been designed for the Internet,
is a necessity because virtually every aspect of the law is challenged by the Internet and that many
legal frameworks are inadequate to deal with the Internet.
The other aspect which complicates the Internet even more, is that there is no specific
organisation, business or government to whom the Internet belongs. Individuals and organisations
have rights to the web pages that they own on the Internet, but there is no ownership of the Internet
in its entirety.
The development of the Internet in South Africa took place during a difficult time in the
country's history. The apartheid era initially limited the growth of the Internet. Much of the
existing legislation in South Africa has been partially adapted to accommodate the Internet, but the
government could not envisage what the actual impact of the Internet would be and consequently
they reacted when it came to the regulation of the Internet. In 2002 the Electronic Communication
and Transaction Act 25 of2002 came into operation.
In fact, the physical component of the Internet has already been regulated to a degree by the
pure coincidence as a result of its physical presence. This is because the backbone of the Internet
had not originally been created by the Internet, but by the telephone.
There are a number of legislative Internet-organisations that are, among others, responsible
for the technical standards of the Internet, dispute resolutions and in general what is important for
the Internet community.
Various international conventions regulate specific aspects of the Internet such as copyright,
intellectual property rights, domain names, trademarks and cyber crime. The international
conventions and agreements are an important step in the direction of standardised regulation.
However, the lack of borders creates problems surrounding jurisdiction of the cyber space. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Internet het al so deel van rekenaargebruikers se alledaagse bestaan geword dat dit soms wil
voorkom asof dit maar nog altyd daar was.
Die Internet met sy unieke grense - of sy gebrek aan grense - plaas 'n groot las op geografies
gebaseerde regstelsels. Regulering wat spesifiek vir die Internet ontwerp is, is 'n noodsaaklikheid,
aangesien byna elke aspek van die reg deur die Internet uitgedaag word en baie regsraamwerke
onvoldoende is om die Internet te hanteer.
Wat die regulering van die Internet verder kompliseer, is dat daar nie een spesifieke organisasie,
onderneming of regering is aan wie die Internet behoort nie. Individue en organisasies het regte tot
die webwerwe wat hulle op die Internet besit, maar daar is nie eienaarskap van die Internet in sy
geheel nie.
Die ontwikkeling van die Internet in Suid-Afirka het tydens 'n moeilike tydperk in die Suid-
Afrikaanse geskiedenis plaasgevind. Die apartheidsera het die aanvanklike ontwikkeling en groei
van die Internet in Suid-Afrika beperk. Verskeie bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing is deels
aangepas om die Internet te akkommodeer, maar die regering het nooit besef wat die werklike
impak van die Internet sou wees nie en het gevolglik re-aktief te werk gegaan wanneer dit by die
regulering van die Internet gekom het. In 2002 het Suid-Afrika se Elektroniese Kommunikasie en
Transaksies Wet 25 van 2002 in werking getree.
Die regulering van die fisieke komponente van die Internet is tot 'n mate as gevolg van sy
fisieke teenwoordigheid deur blote toeval, gereguleer. Dit is omdat die ruggraat van die Internet nie
oorspronklik vir die Internet geskep is nie, maar vir die telefoon.
Daar bestaan verskeie wetgewende Internet-organisasies wat onder meer verantwoordelik is vir
die tegniese standaarde van die Internet, dispuutresolusie en wat oor die algemeen aan die belange
van die Internet-gemeenskap wil voldoen.
Verskeie internasionale konvensies reguleer spesifieke aspekte van die Internet soos kopiereg,
intellektuele eiendomsreg, domeinname en handelsmerke en kubermisdaad. Die internasionale
konvensies en verdrae is 'n belangrike stap in die rigting van gestandaardiseerde regulering. Tog
skep die grenslose omstandighede van die Internet probleme rondom jurisdiksie in die kuberruim.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53471 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Amoraal, Lezel |
| Contributors | Rabe, L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 v. (various foliations) : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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