Splinternet. Wow, that is a very good point. The real scary part is when it gets super, super easy to get on the Darknet. When everything is highly encrypted, and those who want to wallow in hate can do so, to their hearts content, because they will be off into the ether on their own, without supervision, without oversight. Then the only recourse will be full and total government control over the internet. Outlandish as it may seem, it's possible.

I really like this comment. It's almost a mini sci-fi novel.

Plus it has insights.

Although the splinternet is huge. You have the Koreans and Japanese who have (had?) huge mega networks outside of "the general part" kept at bay by language and cultural reasons. But these walls wills fall and the one who does it will make a mint.

I don't think there will be a general part once it gets splintered. It will probably be like China except every nation state will have their own version with their own censorship.

The open web started dying with the great firewall.

Doesn't seem like a very difficult choice to me.