Information Policy

“Mobile” eGovernment Options: Between Technology-driven and User-centric

This paper is about exploring mobile eGovernment issues by analysing their historical evolution and illustrating some concrete activities, first in the initial phase, then through more recent projects, with the idea of capturing some attributes of its development trend. The objective is to propose a view on mGovernment, which can be both compatible with fieldwork findings and overall information and communication technology dynamics. The authors thus suggest a remapping of the mGovernment domain, so as to establish key priorities, eventually helping improve policy-planning capabilities in this area. The main hypothesis is that mGovernment should not be too specific an area of eGovernment (limited to the notion of mobile access), but on the contrary take upon the current dominant movement in favour of mobile technology usages, and steer experiments and initiatives in a way that ultimately benefits, and even empowers the users and citizens in their various flexibility needs.

http://www.ejeg.com/volume-4/vol4-iss2/Rossel_et_al.pdf

British Council launches new Info@UK website for international developments in the Information Society

In April 2007, the British Council launched a new Info@UK web site, designed to share information about projects and activities that contribute to the knowledge economy, especially where these activities cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

The content includes:

• Latest news on knowledge economy developments in the UK and internationally
• Important initiatives and reports
• Resources listed by theme (government transformation, knowledge economy and international frameworks)
• Case studies/projects
• Core briefs
• Forthcoming events
• Knowledge economy dictionary

A section for non-experts that might have questions about the knowledge economy

http://www.britishcouncil.org/info@uk.htm

Europe's digital revolution speeds up, finds new EU survey

Nearly 20% of European households buy bundled telecom packages, according to an EU-wide survey of 27,000 representative households published on 27 April. Almost 30% are now connected to the internet via high-speed 'broadband' links and households increasingly use mobile phones as fixed lines become less popular. 17% of Europeans having a home Internet connection use it for Internet telephony.

http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/582&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Electronic complaint submission for .eu dispute settlement : making eGovernment a reality

The Czech Arbitration Court (CAC) has recently amended its rules to allow for electronic-only court proceedings, using advanced electronic signatures in accordance with the relevant EU Directive. Those using e-signatures for signing and filing documentation to resolve disputes over the assignment of .eu Web Domains are no longer required to submit to the Court hardcopies of these documents. In addition, they will be granted a 10% discount on applicable Fees. A first submission of an e-signed complaint has now been made. The Czech Arbitration Court (CAC) is a not-for-profit organization appointed by EURid to provide alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for .eu domain name disputes. Top Level Domain (TLD) disputes arise inevitably under all domain name systems because of the considerable commercial value that a specific domain name may represent, particularly for businesses. To ensure an easier and quick resolution of domain name disputes under .eu, the EU’s legal framework for the registration of domain names under .eu provides for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedure and lays down clear rules for implementing it.

http://www.adr.eu/index.php

Telecoms: A world of connections

The radio is 110 years old this year and the microprocessor just under 50. As these two technologies move ever closer together, with wireless capabilities now being put on computer chips, something exciting is happening. All the benefits of the computing world≈innovation, short development cycles and low cost≈are being extended to wireless communications. As a result, a myriad of hitherto separate objects are becoming connected to networks, from televisions and cars to industrial machinery and farmland. Tiny devices are even being placed into the human body to perform useful tasks. The new technology enables control to be exercised from a distance and lets different devices interconnect to do something new .

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9032088&fsrc=RSS