This week the Federal Trade Commission confirmed it is investigating Facebook over its handling of user data. The U.S. Department of Homeland security also published a report revealing that Russia hacked the U.S. electricity grid. And a cyber attack shut down the city of Atlanta for over a week. Unbeknownst to many, American University professor Derrick Cogburn says there is actually a system for governing the internet, which enables things like cyber attacks and data breaches. It just doesn’t revolve around government actors. “There are a whole range of organizations that contribute to internet governance,” Cogburn said. “Governments play a role but they're not at the center of it.” Since the internet’s inception in 1990, governments have been given a voice through the annual Internet Governance Forum . “This is where we have these debates that take place and where you have a convergence of expectations,” Cogburn said. “No decisions are being taken within the Internet Governance Forum