Will ECJ’s decision lead to Balkanisation?

Last Tuesday, the European Court of Justice ruled that the Safe Harbour Agreement between the USA and the EU has breached the privacy rights of European citizens. The many Internet companies covered by this agreement will now have to engage with the local laws in the European countries where there users are. Although the ECJ’s ruling could be a step towards privacy rights, critics say that the decision will lead to the Balkanisation of the Internet, fearing a future with “each country with its own Internet, gated off legally and governed by its own privacy laws“, which in turn may have consequences for the Internet’s content.