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Information Society Policy Formulation

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Definitions 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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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

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.

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)

Information Policy

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Rowlands' three hierarchical levels for information policy

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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.

Rowlands' three hierarchical levels for information policy

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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 all-encompassing ICT policy become difficult.

ICT Strategy Integration

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Policies for shaping an integrated ICT Structure (Mansell and Wehn, 1998)

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ICT Policy Integration

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

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

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

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).

The 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 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 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 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 Increasing the pool of available ICT skills

The brain drain of African ICT skills to Western countries is a reality that needs to be addressed through innovative policies and strategies.

Training a broader base of ICT professionals  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 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

Increasing research capacity in ICT-related policy

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Integrating Equity and Freedom of Expression in Information Policy 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: 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.

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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