Cloud drift: how hyperscaler cloud computing shapes internet governance

Justice / Publication
May 29, 2026

When the Foundation for Internet Domain Registration in the Netherlands (SIDN) announced plans to migrate to Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2024, it sparked intense political debate about critical internet infrastructure. This paper by Dr. Corinne Cath examines how hyperscale cloud migration changes the operational autonomy legitimating internet governance institutions.

Drawing on document analysis and 13 interviews, Cath introduces ‘cloud drift’ to demonstrate what can happen when public interest institutions adopt Big Tech’s commercial, hyperscaler cloud computing environments. Internet governance organizations historically derive legitimacy from operational control over infrastructure. Cloud migration disrupts this through three dynamics: (1) expertise displacement as cloud-specific skills replace mission-focused knowledge, (2) systems change as control over ‘production environments’ and infrastructure transfers to proprietary clouds, and (3) purpose reorientation as local public stewards become globally scalable Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) providers. This case study shows how these three dynamics lead SIDN to prioritize vertical scalability over horizontal operational resilience, shifting organizational priorities from public interest stewardship metrics toward market-driven performance indicators. Even partial adoption or planning for such a migration can transform institutions, making the hyperscale cloud appear inevitable. SIDN’s case reveals patterns that likely extend to universities, media organizations, governments, and civil society institutions whose authority depends on operational independence. This research opens novel conversations about how hyperscaler cloud computing reshapes governance legitimacy and democratic control over essential digital services.

To continue reading please visit:
https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2026.2645879

This open access article was published in Information, Communication & Society on May 4, 2026.

Cath, C. (2026). Cloud drift: how hyperscaler cloud computing shapes internet governance. Information, Communication & Society, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2026.2645879

Keywords: Cloud computing, internet governance, domain registries, Amazon Web Services, cloud drift, scalability