Cyber statecraft by net states: the case of Meta, 2016–2021

Comparisons of social media companies and their platforms to states have become common as their size, reach and influence continues to expand. While such comparisons are usually metaphoric, the identification of 'net states' as state-like cyber actors calls for a closer inspection of the concept. While it is clear that 'net states' are not states in the traditional sense, it is also apparent that greater analytic depth is required to examine precisely how these actors become state-like. This paper argues that the state-like nature of actors in cyberspace can be best framed and perceived through the use of actor-network theory, specifically the sociology of translation. In a case study of Meta Platforms, we examine the net state as a model for mapping cyber statecraft through material and social relations to provide an understanding of how cyber actors build state-like relations with other actors. This research encourages an interdisciplinary approach combining international relations, cybercultural and actor-network theory, and highlights how cyber statecraft is attempted by actors other than states.