When Netflix recognises (contested) states: How non-state actors are transforming the practice of state recognition in the digital landscape

International recognition is widely accepted to be an exclusive prerogative of sovereign states – especially among those concerned with international law and international relations. This has been the traditional understanding of state recognition, which limits our ability to capture two major major changes that have taken place in the past decades. First, the traditional view on state recognition does not account for vast technological and digital transformations that have taken place on a global scale and their impact on the state recognition playing field. From Taiwan representatives’ frowning upon the changes that “Google Maps” implements in supporting Chinese territorial claims, to Kosovo representatives being happy when, as some international media outlets have reported in 2021, “Netflix recognises Kosovo”. Second, and relatedly, the traditional view on state recognition gives no space to non-state actors holding both material and non-material power on state recognition. It does not allow us to interrogate many non-state actors’ initiatives that attempt to convince both existing sovereign states but also large technological and digital corporations to recognise existing contested state entities seeking international recognition. The paper attempts to survey the “diplomatic” engagement of non-state actors to secure digital recognition for (contested) states from other non-state actors around the world. In doing so, the paper shows that the recognition field for (contested) states is being widened (through digital tools such as online petitions) and pluralised (through the multiplicity of actors involved in virtual networks and e-communication). The digital revolution and globalisation are increasingly permitting non-state actors to gain relevance in aiding (contested) states in the latter’s quest for recognition. We argue that the digital landscape is transforming both the practice and the meaning of international recognition. We show that being recognised by a non-state actor, at times, proves to be more useful and more important than being recognised by a state actor.