Digital Digest 30 recent Internet and Technology developments you may have missed from – and/or potentially impacting on - Qatar and the Middle East Issue 4: Sept/Oct 2012 Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @ictqatar Context This digest aims to share some recent key digital developments from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It also highlights global developments which may impact on Qatar and the wider MENA region at a later date. 5 stories of particular interest in this issue include; insights into the Arab Digital Generation, major current – and predicted – mobile trends, a look at 3D printing and Internet Governance issues in both Jordan and Russia. Visit: http://www.slideshare.net/ictQATAR/ for Volumes 1-3 which you can download and embed. (These are in PDF for formatting reasons, email me for a PowerPoint version.) These initial issues have had 8,000 views. We hope this figure will grow as we introduce, with this issue, an Arabic version of this digest too. As ever we encourage you to share and embed this presentation and the stories therein. Happy Reading! ------------------------- Disclaimer All content in these slides is in the public domain and referenced so that you can read the original sources. Any omissions, errors or mistakes are mine, and mine alone. Feedback, suggestions and comments are very welcome. Contents Slides 1. Developments from across the MENA region 4-12 • Understanding the Arab Digital Generation 5 • 10 Key Stats about the Arab Digital Generation 6 • New ITU data on global technology development 7 • Jordan’s New Media Law passed 8 • In Brief: Social Media News 9 • In Brief: Content related news 10 • In Brief: Technology News 11 • A spotlight on interactive maps 12 2. Wider Internet & Society Research 13-19 • Research: News consumption on mobile devices (USA) 14 • Youth: Gen Z: Digital in Their DNA (USA and UK) 15 • Emerging Technologies: Tablet shipments 2012-16 16 • Internet Governance: 3 hot issues from Russia 17 • Assistance Technology: 4 things you may have missed 18 3. Coming Up – three emerging issues 19-23 • Research: The next 3 mobile services to reach widespread adoption 20 • Technology: 3D Printing 21 • Governance: new US lobby group formed 22 1. Recent developments in the MENA region Including: the Arab Digital Generation, e-Commerce news, Jordan’s media law, online maps and Social Media, Content and Technology News in Brief Images: http://bit.ly/LCN5yC and http://bit.ly/LTzNud 1.1 Understanding the Arab Digital Generation (ADG) A new report by Booz & Company, in partnership with Google, surveyed 3,000 digital users born between 1977 and 1997 across nine countries. The report found that: “this segment of society strongly distinguishes itself from earlier generations; these young people are far more active as both consumers and critics… Although they have similar digital characteristics than other young people around the world, they are distinctly Arab in that they reflect the traditions, challenges and tribulations of their region. “ The three main societal shifts among this group, some 40% of the MENA population, are: 1. Communication with friends and family: members of the ADG have less direct personal contact with their family and friends, as technology increasingly provides them with communication alternatives. 44% spend less time meeting close friends face-to-face and more time communicating with them online or over the phone. 2. Marriage: More than 60% in North Africa and the Levant approve of a male member of their family marrying a woman whom he had met online, with the GCC approval rate at 44%. Acceptance rates were equally high for women. 3. Religion: The vast majority (approximately 70%) reported that technology allowed them to explore the various facets of religion through websites. Source: http://bit.ly/RfvPSm 10 Key Stats about the Arab Digital Generation 1. 83 % use the Internet daily, with 40 % using the Internet for at least five hours a day 2. 61 % spend more than two hours per day on social networking sites 3. 78 % prefer the Internet to TV 4. 16 % access the Internet from schools / academic institutions; 76 % access from home 5. 63 % express a desire for freedom to do and say what they want as long as it does not harm others, 37 % say they can freely express opinions without fear of the consequences 6. 37 % believe that technology has reduced family communication and cohesion 7. 41 % search the Internet in both Arabic and English; 21 % chat in both languages 8. 48 % are not satisfied with the quality of local websites; 47 % are not satisfied with local versions of international websites, 37 % are not satisfied with the availability of Arabic websites 9. 8 % use an online platform to connect with government or political leaders and 24 % believe that media content is totally controlled by government 10. 48 % believe that the region’s healthcare services require technological upgrades; 43 % believe this of education services Source: http://www.booz.com/media/uploads/BoozCo_Understanding-the-Arab-Digital-Generation.pdf 1.2 New ITU data on global technology development New figures released by the ITU show that ICT uptake continues to grow worldwide. Key findings: • Broadband prices drop 75% globally between 2008 and 2011 • Global revenues from telecommunication services reach USD 1.5 trillion • Korea continues to top ICT ranking • The report also identifies countries which have made the most progress in ICT development. Strong performers include Bahrain, Brazil, Rwanda and Saudi Arabia. • Qatar topped the rankings for Arab States and was ranked 30th globally. Image: http://bit.ly/WxxVhC Image: http://bit.ly/R6oH8P 1.3 Jordan’s New Media Law passed • Jordan has passed a new media law which critics say will stifle freedom of expression online. • The legislation requires "electronic publications" in Jordan to get a licence from the Culture Ministry with the BBC noting that the law: “gives the authorities the power to block and censor websites, whose owners will be held responsible for comments posted on them.” • The Associated Press estimated that about 400 Jordanian websites would be affected by the new law, whilst the Huffington Post noted criticism from Human Rights Watch which argued that asking website owners to check online comments due to this new responsibility was simply not "feasible.“ In late August, hundreds of Jordanian websites like Jeeran, Jo24, Wamda, and BeAmman went dark in support of #BlackoutJo — a protest against the bill, Critics included Queen Noor Al Hussein. Via: http://tcrn.ch/OJmD5L 1.4 In Brief: Social Media News LinkedIn, opened its first MENA office on October 1st. The network, which now more than 175 million members worldwide, has over five million members in the Middle East and North Africa, one million of which are based in the UAE. Their offices are in Dubai’s Internet City: http://press.linkedin.com/node/1230 Remember MORSI METER, which was in our last digest? It was recently awarded first prize by the World Summit Youth Award (WSYA), a unique global contest that brings together young people under 30 years of age who have revolutionary approach to using ICT to change the world and put UN Millennium Development Goals into Action: http://youthaward.org/winners-2012 techPresident’s article “In the Middle East, Marginalized LGBT Youth Find Supportive Communities Online”, sees Anna Lekas Miller talking to a young blogger in Lebanon known online as Lebanon Rebel and Ahmed Zidan co-founder of Ahwaa, a bilingual English-Arabic online forum based in Bahrain, about how the web has provided a forum for discussion and support. Story: http://bit.ly/Rks2DY Image: https://www.facebook.com/ahwaaorg 1.5 In Brief: Content related news Jordan is to pilot new software which will give parents Taghreedat is working control over when their children can use the Internet with TED International and what websites they can access. to localize its official website into Arabic for It is also expected to reduce the level of cyber crime in the first time. The work Jordan by reducing access to websites that contain viruses, will be carried our by Trojans and other malware. Taghreedat's volunteers http://taghreedat.com/ted/ The UN-approved software, which was developed by Australian company TCG for the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, will be available via Jordanian ISPs at the end of October. Source: http://bit.ly/QUwtRK Seven Omanis have come together to draw up an ethical code for internet publications, bloggers, social media users in Oman. “There’s a kind of boom in internet users in Oman and we felt that as responsible users we need to draw a line, especially in the light of recent crackdown on users… Obviously this is not mandatory but a volunteer group that would help people in deciding what is right and what is not.” Turki Al Balushi, in the Gulf News: http://bit.ly/PrU1xn 1.6 In Brief: Technology News 25 Tech Stars of the Middle East: The team at: http://www.al-monitor.com have put together a slideshow of the people and innovations behind the MENA’s fast-maturing tech scene. Cited examples include: Aramex, Bayt.com, YallaStartup! and Crowdsway. See: http://bit.ly/Pm8poV The New York Times reported how an off-the-shelf computer program, FinSpy, has been used to monitor and spy on dissidents in countries around the world, noting: “Research now links it to servers in more than a dozen countries, including Turkmenistan, Brunei and Bahrain, although no government acknowledges using the software for surveillance purposes”. Full data report at: https://citizenlab.org/2012/08/the-smartphone-who-loved-me-finfisher-goes-mobile/ SAP has launched its MENA Field Services- Young Professionals Program in the region, aiming to turn 40 students into technology consultants with an understanding of regional culture, ways of doing business and SAP technologies such as ERP.