Download Information Policy

Information Society
Policy Formulation
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Definitions
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The term "information policy" has been used to refer to
policy initiatives that promote the use of tools and concepts
associated with the "global information society", with a view
to realizing their potential in achieving national, social and
economic development goals.
In many cases, integration of the national economy with the
global knowledge-based economy is one of these goals.
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Information Policy
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Rowlands (1) states that there is no such thing as a single
information policy but rather that policies address specific
issues, and that effective compromises have to be made
between competing interests.
Policies should be "flexible, dynamic and responsive to
changing circumstances".
Information policy is also not just about information
technology. Mansell and Wehn (2) state that:
 Good policy with regard to the building of the Information
Society must rely not only on sufficient technical and
material resources (the networks) and skills, but also be
coherent with other societal policies
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Information Policy
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Rowlands also makes the point that information policy not
only shapes events (proactive information policy), but also
responds to events (reactive information policy).
To illustrate, the rapid development of e-Commerce in
many countries and regions of the world has led to
different responses from governments. These range from
full-blown participative policy processes, to implementation
strategies involving rapid formulation of legislation to
accommodate digital signatures, changing tax structures,
and the security risk surrounding online business
transactions.
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Information Policy
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In contrast, proactive policy-making processes can be seen,
for example, in the areas of science and technology policy,
where countries have based their innovation strategies on
the need to be more competitive.
This has involved "foresighting" and the development of
national goals and priorities in targeted technologies, and
addressing the matching need to develop a suitable skills
base. (3)
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Rowlands' three hierarchical levels
for information policy
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Rowlands' three hierarchical levels for
information policy
Infrastructural Policies would deal with the development
of national (or more recently also regional) infrastructures
required to support an information society.
 The absence of infrastructural policies and
implementation strategies would make it virtually
impossible to deliver on any other vertical or horizontal
ICT-related policies (4).
 Vertical Information Policies would include sectoral
policies such as education, tourism, manufacturing, health,
etc.
 Horizontal Information Policies refers to those policies
that impact on broad aspects of society, e.g. policies
relating to freedom of information, tariffs and pricing, and
the use of ICTs by government internally and in its
relationships with citizens, business, labour, academia, etc.
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ICT Strategy Integration
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The need for integrating national ICT strategies (6) overlaps
with four well-established policy fields: technology, industry,
telecommunications and media (Figure 2 below).
Sectoral policies such as education, employment, health,
welfare, etc. are increasingly having to address issues
relating to ICTs and the growing interdependence between
the development of ICT policies and sectoral policies.
Experience to date has shown that, in the absence of an
existing national ICT policy, the tendency is towards the
creation of sector-dependent policy that addresses only its
own ICT needs.
These policies become firmly entrenched within the sector
and later attempts to integrate them into a broad allencompassing ICT policy become difficult.
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Policies for shaping an integrated ICT
Structure (Mansell and Wehn, 1998)
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ICT Policy Integration
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The figure above implies that countries intent on
pursuing the development of an integrated ICT policy
will have to develop mechanisms for ensuring that there
is a high level of collaboration from all relevant
government departments, and from the much larger
group of stakeholders impacted by, and impacting on
ICT policy.
Failure to provide integrative mechanisms for
addressing ICT policy formulation, and implementation,
has been one of the major stumbling blocks in many
countries
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Issues to Consider in the
Development of Information Policy
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Maintaining an integrated approach in ICT for
development interventions is essential to ensure that
the overall goals are achieved for empowering
communities, improving people's quality of life, and
creating more equal, and open societies.
This applies to policies, and to policy making. The key
challenge is to consider the longer-term use and the role of
ICTs in society while making policies intended to support
infrastructure development.
Often, in a developing country, the focus is on the
infrastructure development dimension of policy, while
neglecting dimensions that relate to the development of
human resource capacity, and to the production, exchange
and dissemination of information content.
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Issues to Consider in the
Development of Information Policy
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What is presented below is therefore a brief overview of
some of the aspects that should be debated during any
information policy formulation process
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The Information Economy and National Economic
Development
 The term "Information Economy" refers to
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a new global economic structure, wherein the production of information
goods and services dominates wealth and job creation, and is
underpinned by the use of information and communications technologies
(ICTs) and a global information infrastructure" (1).
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information economy and society are driven by the
global interrelationships of ICTs with economic, political,
social and cultural forces.
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The Move towards Globalization in the Telecommunications Sector
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Governments worldwide increasingly recognize the significance of ICTs and
their applications in achieving economic, social, health and education
objectives.
As a result, governments have shifted the emphasis of their policies.
Monopoly telecommunications operators have become passé with countries
- industrialized and developing that are embracing the global trends of
deregulation and liberalization as keys to expanding existing
telecommunications networks and developing information technologies.
Governments are under pressure from global forces, specifically the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and, to a lesser extent, regional blocks, to
change policies to accommodate global trading and commerce activities.
Thus, the global telecommunications sector has experienced a drastic shift
from transnational regulatory institutions such as the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) to the operation of the WTO's open market
framework. The first global shift has been one from closed domestic markets
to open competition. This changing environment has to be considered when
policies are formulated. Countries also have to take cognizance of the
implications of international agreements to which they might be signatories,
and ensure that their telecommunications policies support the requirements
of such agreements.
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Reform and Regulation of the Telecommunications Sector within a
Global and Regional Context (2)
 The swing towards a worldwide liberal ICT regime demanded the
shift to a different regulatory regime.
 Any new regulatory response required separate regulation and
delivery of service functions by monopoly operators.
 Consequently, during the 1990s a telecommunications reform wave
arose, seeing many countries creating independent and transparent
regulators, and regimes to manage transitions to a competitive
market.
 At the same time these regulators addressed the need for optimal
licensing, interconnection, appropriate tariff structures, numbering
and other key policies in open-competitive markets.
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Governance of the Internet
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Setting technical standards requires the work of technical experts, but
involves wider issues than just technical ones.
Standards can relate to political and economic issues, and act as a means of
protection, domination and exclusion
The rapid expansion of the Internet has required the development of new
standards. Increasingly, a view of the Internet as a lucrative e-Commerce
market place is influencing standards-setting. In the process the interests of
large corporations and powerful governments are receiving far greater
consideration than those of developing countries, civil society, and emerging
small and medium e-enterprises in the south.
Standards-setting for the Internet needs to favour openness and consensus.
The needs of developing countries, civil society and emerging entrepreneurs
also need to be considered.
There are three major Internet standards bodies, the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF), the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
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Convergence and the Development of Relevant Content,
Services and Applications
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Alongside the shift towards liberalizing the global
telecommunications sector has come the challenge of an appropriate
regulatory response. Governments, used to focusing on network
development, must now develop the policy capacity to establish
frameworks and manage transitions in a volatile and unstable
information environment
The multimedia phenomenon has blurred the boundaries between
telecommunications, software and hardware. The convergence of
technologies is making traditional definitions redundant.
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A second question arises as to whether Internet Service Providers
should be treated as telecommunications carriers, and charged the
access fees to Public Switched Telecommunications networks
(PSTNs). A general response by numerous global regulatory
frameworks to such challenges has been to focus on trying to ensure
delivery of a wide variety of services, at the best quality, most
economically and efficiently to the widest range of customers. Such
realities meant that the global and historic domination of
telecommunications sectors by states with monopoly
telecommunications operators had to end.
The challenge for African countries will be to develop their own
"infostructure", ensuring that their collective knowledge remains a
national asset. Policies need to be developed to enable citizens and
communities at all levels to have access to relevant applications and
services
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Developing Human Resource Capacity
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Increasing the pool of available ICT skills
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Training a broader base of ICT professionals
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One of the most critical areas of concern on the African continent is the
scarce human resource capacity in ICTs, and more specifically in ICT policy
research.
Increasing the pool of available ICT skills should be a key component of
any ICT-related policy.
Encouraging girls and women to use and produce ICTs
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The brain drain of African ICT skills to Western countries is a reality that
needs to be addressed through innovative policies and strategies.
Attention should also be given to gender to ensure that there is equitable
access to ICTs, and the benefits they can offer.
Encouraging the use of ICTs to increase access to lifelong
learning
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Increasing research capacity in ICT-related policy
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Integrating Equity and Freedom of Expression in
Information Policy
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Organizations campaigning for freedom of expression in ICTs are
increasingly faced with the question of whether ICTs should be
governed by policy and regulatory frameworks that are distinct from
the frameworks governing radio, the print media, television, and
other emerging communications technologies.
In general the most feasible approach appears to be one which relies
on general policies to enshrine freedom of expression, information
and association, but to ensure that at the regulatory level, the
specificity of the ICTs is taken into account, for example by
addressing encrypted electronic communications, interception of
private e-mail messages, etc.
Several elements should be considered when formulating
information policy:
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 Several
elements should be considered when formulating
information policy:
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The right to communicate - Governments need to ensure that
ordinary people have access to public information, and that
marginalised groups can share in the benefits of Internet access.
Legal and regulatory frameworks
Freedom of expression and information exchange - Policy should
consider the following aspects relating to freedom of expression:·
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Freedom of expression and information exchange - Policy
should consider the following aspects relating to freedom of
expression:·
• The right to communicate ·
• Legal and regulatory frameworks ·
• Ability to express opinions and ideas, and share information
freely ·
• Regulation of ownership ·
• Licensing and control of intellectual property ·
• Privacy ·
• Governance structures ·
• Informing people of their rights.
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Diversity of content, ownership and control
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The licensing and control of intellectual property
Privacy
Global, regional and national governance of ICT infrastructure
Rights awareness and realization of rights
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