ThinkTankWeekly

Bridging the Gap: LEO Satellite Internet and Human Rights

CSIS | 2026-08-08 | tech

Topics: China, Europe, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, United States

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English Summary

LEO satellite internet is increasingly critical for maintaining civil society and state functions during conflict or authoritarian shutdowns, offering resilience by bypassing vulnerable terrestrial infrastructure. However, reliance on private sector providers creates vulnerabilities related to capricious control, while geopolitical rivals are developing advanced counter-space weapons (like Kalinka) to limit its efficacy. The analysis argues that policy must establish a global, rights-based framework treating internet access as a fundamental human right and public good. Strategic efforts should focus on incentivizing decentralized technology and international cooperation to ensure continuous connectivity against state-sponsored shutdowns.

中文摘要

低軌衛星互聯網(LEO satellite internet)在衝突或威權政府關閉期間,對於維持公民社會和國家功能日益關鍵,因為它能繞過脆弱的地面基礎設施,提供韌性。然而,對私營部門供應商的依賴會產生與其專斷控制相關的漏洞;同時,地緣政治競爭對手也正在開發先進的反太空武器(例如卡琳卡),以限制其效力。本分析認為,政策必須建立一個全球性的、基於人權的框架,將網路存取視為基本人權和公共利益。戰略努力應著重激勵去中心化技術和國際合作,以確保即使在國家支持關閉的情況下也能維持持續連線。

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