Information Policy

OECD: The implications of WiMAX for competition and regulation

WiMAX and other emerging wireless broadband technologies could potentially expand connectivity in remote areas and offer faster wireless Internet connections in urban environments. This paper addresses key competition and policy issues related to the deployment of longer-range wireless networks including spectrum allocation, competition and the technology's role in next-generation networks. The paper also provides information on regulatory conditions and WiMAX developments in all 30 OECD countries.

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/7/36218739.pdf

Promoting Cybersecurity in Developing Countries

"The case for promoting a global culture for cybersecurity was strongly emphasized at the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) during an information session for participants conducted by ITU on Friday.

ITU pointed out that in an increasingly interconnected and networked world our societies are vulnerable to a wide variety of threats, including deliberate attacks on critical information infrastructures with debilitating effects on our economies and on our societies. In order to safeguard our systems and infrastructure, we need to strengthen our collective cybersecurity.

As this depends on the security practices of each and every networked country, business, and citizen, we need to develop a global culture of cybersecurity. According to ITU, cybersecurity is critical in the use and development of ICT. The lack of adequate security is an obstacle for using ICTs that rely on the protection and confidentiality of sensitive data. Unless these security and trust issues are addressed, the benefits of the Information Society to governments, businesses and citizens cannot be fully realized.

The information session was aimed at raising awareness on this very important subject and to contribute to bridging the information and knowledge divide between and within countries.

At that session, ITU launched a new reference guide on Cybersecurity for Developing Countries and informed delegates of ITU’s initiative in Promoting Global Cybersecurity as the theme for World Telecommunication Day on 17 May this year. ITU will also assist developing and least developed countries in increasing cybersecurity and will conduct workshops and seminars to enable countries to exchange ideas and discuss common issues."

http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/newslog/Promoting+Cybersecurity+In+Developing+Countries.aspx

Open Technologies: Catalyst for Transformation

By Jeffrey A. Kaplan

An ICT ecosystem is the entire technology environment. It is not just hardware and software. It encompasses the policies, processes, procurement, data, laws, applications, partnerships, standards and stakeholders that together make up a technology environment for a country, a government or an organization. People - those who create, buy, sell, regulate, manage and use technology - are the most important part of any ICT ecosystem.

An open ICT ecosystem brings increased choices, collaboration, innovation and economic opportunities. It impacts access to public information, government procurement, industrial development (especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises), privacy, security, investment policy, intellectual property and economic growth.

Five principles define open ICT ecosystems and guide their evolution. Open ICT ecosystems are: interoperable, user-centric, collaborative, sustainable and flexible. To activate these principles, there are three building blocks of an open ICT ecosystem: open standards, open source and service-orientation.

This APDIP e-Note explains the value of open ICT ecosystems and elaborates on their principles and building blocks in simple terms.

APDIP e-Notes are brief snapshots that present analyses of specific issues related to information and communication technologies (ICTs) for sustainable human development in the Asia-Pacific region. This online series introduces readers to the who, what, where, why and how of a wide range of current issues related to ICTs such as Internet governance, ICTs and poverty alleviation, e-governance, free and open source software, and many others.

Download APDIP e-Note 7 from http://www.apdip.net/apdipenote/7.pdf

Digital divide or digital development? The Internet in Mexico

There is skepticism about whether the digital divide is something driven primarily by technology rather than an epiphenomenon driven by socioeconomic factors. The barriers to access are not technological but rather economic and historical. Although Mexico shows wide disparities in Internet access, it also shows rapid development toward more access. The number of regular Internet users in Mexico is small (about 14 million) but has shown consistent growth. Business and non√governmental organization presence on the Web is increasing, and the Mexican government is innovatively using the Web to broaden contact with its citizens.

http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_3/curry/index.html

Europe’s heritage on-line – towards a European Digital Library

The internet and digital technology have revolutionised the way we access and use information. The full potential of this ‘digital revolution’ is still far from being realised however. The European Commission has recently given a new push to efforts to dramatically increase access to Europe’s cultural heritage on-line via the ‘European Digital Library’.

The European Commission’s plan to promote digital access to Europe’s heritage was given a new push this month with the publication of the results of its on-line consultation on the ‘Digital libraries’ initiative, and the announcement of targets for the next five years. Some 6 million books, documents and other cultural works are expected to be available on-line by 2010.

The internet consultation revealed widespread support for the initiative, though with some concerns over copyright issues from publishers and rights holders. It has helped to further define the practical details of the planned European Digital Library, which will build on the existing TEL (The European Library) infrastructure to create a high-profile, multilingual, single access point to the vast resources of Europe’s

In order to boost European digitisation efforts, the Commission will co-fund the creation of a Europe-wide network of digitisation centres. The institution will also address, in a series of policy documents, the issue of the appropriate framework for intellectual property rights protection in the context of digital libraries.

http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/5416/194