The Apc Ict Policy Handbook
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The APC ICT Policy Handbook THE ASSOCIatION FOR PROGRESIVE COMMUNICatIONS The APC ICT Policy Handbook Editor David Souter With contributions from David Souter, Peter da Costa, Avri Doria, Lisa Horner, Gus Hosein, Heike Jensen, Mike Jensen, Achal Prabhala and Dmitri Vitaliev The Association for Progressive Communications - www.apc.org The APC ICT Policy Handbook Editor David Souter Contributors David Souter Peter da Costa Avri Doria Lisa Horner Gus Hosein Heike Jensen Mike Jensen Achal Prabhala Dmitri Vitaliev Project coordination Natasha Primo Publication production Karen Higgs Proofreading Lori Nordstrom Graphic design Monocromo Cover illustration Matias Bervejillo This publication was made possible thanks to support from: United Kingdom Directorate-General for Department for International International Cooperation Development (DFID) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) The apc Ict Policy Handbook Published by APC 2009 Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Licence <creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/> Some rights reserved. ISBN 92-95049-73-X APC-200911-CIPP-R-EN-P-0065 Contents About this handbook / 4 Section 5 The internet Section 1 Chapter 18: Internet technology Main themes and networks / 113 Chapter 1: Why ICTs and ICT policies matter / 7 Chapter 19: Internet services / 121 Chapter 2: Information and communications: Chapter 20: Internet development An overview / 11 and governance / 129 Chapter 3: Information and communications Chapter 21: Internet policy issues / 138 technologies / 14 Section 6 Chapter 4: Information and communications markets / 18 ICTs and development Chapter 5: Information and communications Chapter 22: ICTs, society and the economy / 148 rights / 23 Chapter 23: ICTs and development policy / 153 Chapter 6: The “digital divide” / 30 Chapter 24: National ICT and ICD policies / 159 Chapter 7: Information and communications Chapter 25: Information and communications in development / 35 development applications / 164 Section 2 Chapter 26: E-government / 170 Computing and information technology Chapter 27: E-business / 174 Chapter 8: Computing and information Chapter 28: International ICT policy technology / 41 institutions / 180 Chapter 29: The World Summit on the Information Section 3 Society (WSIS) / 186 Broadcasting Section 7 Chapter 9: Broadcasting technology and networks / 49 ICTs, rights and society Chapter 10: Broadcasting ownership / 56 Chapter 30: ICTs and gender / 194 Chapter 11: Broadcasting regulation / 63 Chapter 31: Privacy and security / 200 Chapter 12: Broadcasting content / 69 Chapter 32: Content and censorship / 206 Chapter 33: Intellectual property / 214 Section 4 Chapter 34: ICTs and the environment / 218 Telecommunications Chapter 13: Telecommunications networks / 75 Appendices Chapter 14: Telecommunications technology / 84 Appendix 1: Organisations involved Chapter 15: Telecoms industry and market in ICT policy / 224 structure / 90 Appendix 2: Further reading / 226 Chapter 16: Telecoms policy and regulation / 97 Chapter 17: Universal access / 106 About this handbook Ask a typical citizen – of any country – about ICT policy be of interest to a wide range of people: members of civil and the reply will probably be something like “What’s society groups, researchers, activists, technical special- that?” or “Who cares?” Getting involved in information ists who are becoming more interested in the policy and and communications technology (ICT) policy making has regulatory aspects of their work, journalists looking for not been a priority for many people, even those who are background information, government officials and other generally active in other areas of public policy. Much of it stakeholders. It is not a technical handbook, although it seems remote from our daily experience, and technically tries to explain in straightforward language some of the complex. Yet new communications media are becoming technical background knowledge that is necessary in or- so important that we cannot continue to ignore them. der to be able to discuss and debate ICT policy issues. ICTs, and the products and services that make use of The main text of the handbook has been written by ex- them, play an increasingly important part in all our lives. perts in the field, in order to establish a basic under- Since the mid-1990s, all countries have seen major standing of the issues. This can be used by readers as changes in the way that information and communica- a platform for further investigation and for consideration tions services are delivered – the proliferation of new of their own perspectives. Each chapter seeks to give an radio and television channels, the creation of mass mar- objective account of existing issues, rather than present- kets for mobile telephony, and the establishment of the ing any specific point of view. Where issues are contro- internet as a new resource for knowledge and informa- versial, the different viewpoints involved have been ex- tion are three major developments which have affected plained so that the reader has a clear view of the issues every nation. These new information and communica- in dispute. Examples are also given of recent events or tions resources offer new opportunities for citizens and debates, which readers can explore further if so inclined. civil society, but also pose new challenges, particularly in Suggestions as to where readers can find out more areas such as access, privacy and security. about ICT policy can also be located in the bibliography and list of organisations active in the field which are in The structure of the ICT industry has been transformed appendices. during the same period, nationally and internationally, as a result of new technologies and changes in the rela- The text is divided into sections as follows: tionship between governments and businesses. Many • Section 1 introduces the main themes within ICT information and communications services have moved policy debate. from the control of the state into the private sector, with monopolies replaced by competitive markets. The emer- • Four sections look at the technical, market, policy gence of the internet as a major force has raised new and regulatory issues affecting the four main types issues of governance and of the relationship between of ICT with which the handbook is concerned: the citizen and the state, changing old and raising new – Section 2: Computing and information technology issues of human rights. The role of ICTs within develop- ment has been championed by many – not least within – Section 3: Broadcasting the World Summit on the Information Society that was – Section 4: Telecommunications held in 2003 and 2005 – but is still questioned by some. – Section 5: The internet. Policy frameworks for handling information and commu- nications issues in the pre-digital world have not always • Section 6 is concerned with the relationship be- been sufficient to deal with these new challenges. Many tween ICTs and social, economic and development need to be redesigned for a digital age, and this raises policy. further challenges and opportunities for civil society and • Section 7 is concerned with rights issues. other organisations seeking to engage with them. • An appendix identifies further resources which There has been a great deal of discussion of these is- readers may find useful. sues during the last decade. This handbook aims to take the mystery out of ICT policy and make it easier to un- This is the second edition of the APC ICT Policy Hand- derstand. In particular, it aims to build the capacity of book. The first edition has been used extensively by APC those who want to understand more about the issues members and other civil society organisations since it surrounding policy on ICT development and regulation, was published in 2003, and has been widely praised. to grasp the policy process, and to become more in- Like most things in the ICT world, however, it has fallen volved in it as informed participants. It should therefore out of date in the short period of time since then. There The APC ICT Policy Handbook / 4 have been many new developments over the past five lenged Communities. She also works as a part-time years – in technology, in networks, in markets, in servic- consultant to the secretariat of the Internet Governance es, in access. Since the first edition of the handbook was Forum, and was at time of writing serving as chair of written, for example, the proportion of people subscrib- ICANN’s GNSO Council. ing to mobile phone networks in many African countries Lisa Horner is head of research and policy at Global has risen from under 5% to over 25%; two sessions of Partners & Associates, a social purpose company work- the World Summit on the Information Society have taken ing to build democratic institutions and promote human place, and the Internet Governance Forum has emerged rights. She coordinates the Ford Foundation-funded as a new locus for debate on internet issues; and new Freedom of Expression Project, which is examining and wireless technologies have emerged which have the po- addressing the impact of digital communications on hu- tential to deliver services in new ways to more people in man rights. more locations than was imagined even five years ago. Gus Hosein is an academic, advocate, and consultant. Rather than simply revising the original handbook, there- He is a visiting senior fellow in the Department of Man- fore, the opportunity has been taken to produce an en- agement at the London School of Economics and Politi- tirely new text for this second edition. This new text has cal Science, where he lectures and researches on tech- been edited by David Souter, and written by him with con- nology policy; a senior fellow with Privacy International tributions from Peter da Costa, Avri Doria, Lisa Horner, in London, where he coordinates international research Gus Hosein, Heike Jensen, Mike Jensen, Achal Prabhala and campaigns on civil liberties; and a visiting scholar at and Dmitri Vitaliev. The principal author is indicated for the American Civil Liberties Union, which he advises on each chapter. Each has drawn on her/his extensive expe- international technology and liberty issues.