Should specific values be embedded in the internet architecture?

Abstract

A fundamental disagreement in the Future Internet debate concerns architecture design and value. Should an architecture incorporate inherent values that have been widely accepted through societal debate or be adaptable once deployed to a wider range of stakeholder values put forward within an evolving societal context? This disagreement is reflected in many debates about the current and future Internet, such as over network neutrality. This article outlines the concrete viewpoints relating to this disagreement and describes its impact on the wider context of architecture design.