The concept of new virtual nations has circulated for decades. In 1997, Nation.1 was proposed as an online nation to be owned, populated and governed by young people.
More recently, various innovators in the cryptocurrency space have sketched proposals to deploy blockchain technology to enable virtual citizenship and governance on a global scale. Founded in 2014, Bitnation was one such proposal in which becoming a citizen involved recording vital records, identity, and other legal events through the use of smart contracts. While the project closed in 2022, some of the ideas have been realized by other crypto startups.
World, formerly known as Worldcoin and cited above, is among the platforms building a foundational record of individual identities on a blockchain. Verifiable and unique identity is, of course, fundamental to civic participation. A great deal of unrealized potential remains in this space.
Estonia has built a highly advanced digital society by integrating technology into governance, the economy, and everyday life. At the core is a national digital ID system that allows citizens to securely access public services, sign documents, and vote online. Estonia’s e-Residency program allows global entrepreneurs to start and manage EU-based businesses entirely online. The country has also implemented digital education and strong cybersecurity measures, including hosting NATO’s Cyber Defence Centre. As a result, Estonia has become a global leader in digital governance, transparency, and citizen empowerment.
In his book In The Network State: How to Start a New Country, Balaji Srinivasan introduces the concept of a “network state,” defined as a highly aligned online community with the capacity for collective action, which eventually acquires physical territory and gains diplomatic recognition from existing states. Srinivasan critiques the traditional nation-state model, arguing that it has failed to uphold foundational principles and protect basic rights. He suggests that building new, digitally native societies from the ground up can more effectively embody and safeguard the values that their members cherish. Technological advancements, particularly in blockchain, would play a pivotal role in enabling such network states to scale.
In the technological sphere, big tech has supported the development of several global NGOs that address international affairs. Major tech companies such as Alphabet (Google (DeepMind), Amazon, Apple, Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft participate in the Partnership on AI, the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers, and the Cyber Threat Alliance, all discussed above. Many of these firms also participate in the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, which supports legal interoperability in cross-border internet issues including content takedowns, data localization, and domain seizures. Others participate in the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, which works to prevent terrorists and violent extremists from exploiting digital platforms.
Today, the leading technology companies have become some of the most powerful geopolitical actors in the world, often surpassing governments in influence. Following the January 6 2021 US Capitol riot, tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon acted swiftly to deplatform Trump and his supporters, demonstrating their unilateral power in digital governance. These firms operate across borders and control digital spaces that have become central to global communication, commerce, and even politics, with platforms like Facebook and Google exceeding many nation-states in reach. Unlike past private power brokers like Big Oil or the East India Company, today’s tech giants shape both physical and digital realms, creating a new dimension of influence. Their infrastructure underpins not only business and education but also social and political life worldwide. Governments are attempting to push back – through regulation, antitrust actions, and data laws – but often lack the speed, knowledge, and leverage to do so effectively. As digital life becomes inseparable from everyday life, the power of Big Tech will likely grow, creating both new risks and new opportunities for global governance. Ultimately, these companies are not just reacting to geopolitical changes; they are actively shaping the future of the international order.
Leading up to and following the re-election of Trump in 2024, some tech leaders have sought reconciliation through lending support to his administration. In response, some public thinkers have begun to express concern about the close relationships between tech leaders and the Trump administration. They mention how these ties are under scrutiny, especially as the administration imposes policies that significantly impact the tech industry, such as sweeping tariffs affecting companies like Apple and Nvidia. They also speculate about the power of the companies to facilitate dictatorship-like surveillance of the populace.
Where some see the rise of autocracy and the risk of a new surveillance state, global governance innovators point out that this is already the default trajectory, whereas inclusive global governance presents alternative, even transformative opportunities.
There has been some scholarship on the subject of big tech and global governance. In her 2024 article Big Tech: Making Rules and Making Realities as Global Governors, Wendy Wong argues that major tech companies have become powerful global authorities by creating the rules and digital spaces through which people live, work, and communicate. These companies don’t just influence policy like traditional non-state actors, they directly shape behavior and norms through their platforms. Wong cites examples like the Apple-Google contact tracing collaboration during COVID-19 and Meta’s oversight board to show how tech firms govern in ways once reserved for states. The article promotes the concept of a “platform society,” where digital infrastructure is deeply embedded in daily life.
Meta’s oversight board governs the content that is viewed by billions. Some staff at Meta understand the complicated relationship they have with power. In 2018, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg famously quipped that he wasn’t sure the company shouldn’t be regulated.
If the influence of big tech in geopolitics is inevitable, and some at the top are willing to relinquish power and invite oversight, then why not invite all big tech companies to join a wider conversation about upgrading global governance and responsibly managing the global commons?
All companies need a level playing field to compete fairly, whether they are big tech or big oil. The time to formalize the conversation about our inevitable future has come.
| While the authors of this study are not aware of any donor consortium that focuses specifically on tech-innovated states or the intersection of big tech and geopolitical reform, there are some important references. The NetGain Partnership is a network of foundations working at the intersection of technology, democracy, and public interest – touching on global citizenship. In addition, a new article in Policy and Society analyzes the growing influence of Big Tech and how they leverage philanthropy to shape policy agendas and public perception. Finally, a few relevant funds focus on global digital rights, digital governance and digital identity including Luminate, the Internet Society Foundation, and Digital Rights for All, among others. |