The White House says it would be misguided to change the current norms around the Internet in favor of further regulation, saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." In a Nov. 1 satellite web address to the London Conference on Cyberspace, Vice President Biden noted that some nations are seeking an international, legal instrument to gain more control over Internet connectivity and content.

"No citizen of any country should be subject to a repressive global code when they send an email or post a comment to a news article. They should not be prevented from sharing their innovations with global consumers simply because they live across a national frontier. That's not how the Internet should ever work, in our view," said Biden.

An international code of cybersecurity conduct was backed by several United Nation member states during discussions at the UN General Assembly in September. During the meeting, China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan suggested that all states should respect the sovereignty of other states over their nation's use--or regulation--of the Internet.

But Biden stressed that no further international laws are needed because the "existing rules of international law apply online," just as they would offline. Biden did acknowledge that there will be challenges ahead and nations will have to come up with new solutions where old ones no longer suffice or translate to the challenges of an increasingly Internet-connected society.

For example, from a defense perspective it's difficult to determine a country's intentions in the cyber domain. "It's much harder to assess a nation's cyber capabilities than it is to count their tanks, for example. Technology is dual use," said Biden.

Biden also spoke to conference attendees about what he considers the true cost of censorship and Internet policing. Countries will pay for restrictive practices in missed opportunities as they stifle the next generation of web innovators, he said.

"And when businesses consider investing in a country with a poor record on Internet freedom and they know that their website could be shut down suddenly, their transactions monitored, their staff harassed. They'll look for opportunities elsewhere," he added.

For more:
- watch Biden's video address

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