Inclusive Digital Society
February 2, 2018
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has released first draft of the Internet Universality indicators, and opened a request for comments on the report before 15 March 2018. CSISAC member Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has partnered with the UNESCO to provide an online consultation platform. The platform is available in the six UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).
From the UNESCO request for comments:
This report is an interim outcome following the first phase of the consultation, which included 24 face-to-face consultation meetings with 1000 experts from 21 countries and attracted 165 online contributions from 70 countries. UNESCO thus kicks off the second
phase of the consultation and invites all stakeholders to provide further inputs on these proposed indicators' framework before 15 March 2018. The indicators will be finalized by the end of April2018, following the second phase of the consultation, so your reviews and comments on the draft are crucial!
We provide all interested stakeholders two ways to contribute to the project and review the first draft indicators document:
* You are invited to submit your answers to three general
questions on the online platform or by email to
internetstudy@unesco.org.
* If you wish to make more specific comments on the draft
indicators document, we invite you to connect to the interactive
platform. This platform has been developed by our partner, the
Association for Progressive Communications (APC). It allows you
to comment each proposed indicator as well as interact with the
other participants of the consultation.
General enquiries can be issued to UNESCO focal points, Ms Xianhong Hu (x.hu@unesco.org) and Mr. Josselyn Guillarmou (j.guillarmou@unesco.org).
February 9, 2017
At the joint G20-OECD meeting, the Secretariats of the Civil Society Council of the OECD (CSISAC) and the civil society facilitator of the G20 German Presidency (C20) took the opportunity to share perspectives about possible approaches for collaboration. Both Secretariats agreed on the importance of consolidating the C20, and on the interest of incorporating digitalisation as a cross-cutting issue in the future work of the C20.
At the meeting it was acknowledged the recognition of the CSISAC and the C20 as the main channels for civil society participation at the OECD work on digitalisation, and in the G20, respectively. In addition, the joint G20-OECD meeting was useful to make visible the role of the OECD work on digitalisation as the main reference for the G20.
A proposal emerged to have the CSISAC supporting the C20 as the main channel for civil society participation at the G20, and to have the C20 supporting the leadership of the CSISAC to facilitate the civil society dialogue on digitalisation. With this purpose, the CSISAC is planning:
- To continue providing the main channel for civil society participation at the OECD work on digitalisation. The focus will be set on the Committee for the Digital Economy Policy (CDEP) and its Horizontal Project on Digitalisation, as this is expected to be the main source of policy references to feed the G20 process.
- To engage in the C20 process, facilitating the engagement of the CSISAC membership in the C20 Working Groups, taking part in the C20 organized meetings, and organizing a G20 task force on digitalisation. The purpose will be to have a civil society perspective on digitalisation reflected in the G20 outcomes.
The CSISAC invites non-governmental organizations, scholars and activists with expertise on digitalisation to get involved. You can visit our website to learn about the CSISAC and the OECD, and express your interest to engage sending a mail to liaison (at) csisac.org.
Background on the OECD-G20 Process
At the 73rd session of the CDEP, the CSISAC was invited to take part in the dialogue between the OECD and the G20 on digitalisation. This dialogue consists in a joint policy-making effort that takes as the main references the G20 Hangzhou agenda on digitalisation, and the OECD project in the same topic. The CSISAC is engaging in this dialogue as a way to consolidate and foster the Civil Society Principles by having them consistently incorporated in the agendas and in the policy recommendations of the OECD and the G20.
December 22, 2016
The German Presidency of the G20 is setting a focus on digitalisation, as expressed by the term's motto "Shaping an interconnected world". A C20 process is to be deployed towards integrating the civil society perspective in the G20 dialogue. However, at this point, the proposed thematic priorities for the civil society process do not include any specific topic on digitalisation, which could lead to the exclusion, from the G20 process, of civil society groups working worldwide on digital rights issues. The CSISAC will be taking the opportunity of the OECD-G20 dialogue to foster digital inclusion, privacy and security in the German Presidency of the G20.
In several fora including the most recent sessions of the OECD CDEP and the Internet Governance Forum, the German Presidency has expressed their plan to give a focus on the impact of digitalisation, as expressed by the Presidency motto "Shaping an interconnected world". This focus on digitalisation is consistent with the ongoing global policy dialogue, particularly with the outcomes of the June 2016 OECD Ministerial on the Digital Economy in Cancún (México), and the September 2017 G7 Summit on the Information and Communication Technologies (Japan). The prominence of the digital topic is also consistent with the outcomes of the 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit, where digitalisation ranked in the first place of the substantial topics discussed in the communiqué. In addition to the Presidency motto, the prominence of the digital agenda can be seen in the OECD-G20 dialogue enacted as the result of the Hangzhou Summit. Recent developments, including robotics, artificial intelligence, high frequency trading, the Internet of Things, Internet mediated commercial activity, social networking platforms, mass surveillance, data breaches, or infrastructure failures, have shown the relevance of this phenomenon for the civil society. This remarkably includes topics like privacy and security online, access to the Internet, digital consumer protection, children online, unemployment, cryptography, skills, ageing, identity theft and many other topics where hundreds of civil society organizations worldwide are contributing with their expertise to improve the global policy dialogue from a multi-stakeholder approach.
A Civil Society process will run in parallel with other tracks -women, labour unions or business- to enrich the G20 dialogue. At the current point, the C20 process is apparently disconnected from both the priorities of the G20 dialogue as a whole, the Presidency's focus, and the ongoing digitalisation process. In the absence of a digital track in the C20 process, the ongoing dialogue between governmental representatives and civil society participants would get interrupted, as that would imply no role for the organizations working on digital rights. The exclusion of the civil society participants working in the digital area would impede the expertise developed by scholars, activists and non governmental organizations to contribute to the G20 dialogue, from the perspective of inclusion, data protection and human rights as priorities. That decission could be harmful for the ongoing multi-stakeholder dynamics for the governance of digital issues, and isolate the G20 from the global dialogue on the topic.
All together, this makes the inclusion of a digital track in the G20 dialogue a necessary improvement to ensure a constructive alignment between the C20 process and the G20 dialogue towards fostering a civil society perspective in the outcomes referring to the digital agenda. "Inclusion, Privacy and Security in the Digital Economy" could be a possible framework to be supported by the CSISAC and its members.
December 13, 2016
At the 73rd session of the CDEP, the OECD announced a dialogue with the G20 on digitalisation in the context of the focus given by the G20 Presidency to the topic, and the planned OECD horizontal project on digitalisation.
The CSISAC has been invited to take part in that dialogue, and the CSISAC has accepted the invitation towards fostering the Civil Society Principles in the G20 extension of the OECD work on the digital economy. The OECD has welcomed CSISAC proposal to extend the current participatory structure to the G20 meetings, having the Liaison plus one representative appointed by the Steering Committee to participate in behalf of the CSISAC. Several CSISAC members have expressed their interest in taking part in that process, and the Steering Committee will be exploring the opportunities with that purpose.
The first step for the OECD-G20 dialogue will be a meeting to be held the 12th of January in Berlin. In addition to this, a consultation process has been launched to set the thematic priorities for the civil society process (C20). The CSISAC is encouraging its members to take part in the consultation towards ensuring a proper alignment between the civil society process and the G20 focus on digitalisation.
November 24, 2015
The next meeting of the OECD Digital Economy Policy Committee and its working parties will take place from the 30th of November to the 4th of December in the OECD headquarters in Paris (France). CSISAC will take part in this meeting to bring the voice of Civil Society to the OECD policy making process.
This 70th meeting will focus on the preparation of the 2016 Ministerial on the Digital Economy. This involves the discussion of the logistics and the contents of the event, including the appointment of the high level speakers like Ministers and representatives of International Organizations. CSISAC will continue fostering the presence of Civil Society representatives in the panels, and also to improve the Civil Society perspective in the key issues under consideration.
The work on the Ministerial will include the organization of the Stakeholders Forum the day before the event. CSISAC is working to organize a forum where activists, academics and experts gather to exchange views on the analyzed topics and provide a constructive input to the Ministerial's discussion. CSISAC is actively searching for participants from Latin America to take part in the preparatory work joining the programm committee, and also during the discussion as panelists. Proposal and suggestions on topics and participants can be sent to the CSISAC Liaison.
In addition to the preparatory work for the Ministerial, the Committee and its Working Parties will discuss the reports and ongoing projects. Topics included in the agenda include several aspects related with Digital Risk and Identity Management; the protection of Critical Infrastructures; privacy and health data; the broadband policy toolkits; and several measurement issues on mobile commerce and ICT sector indicators.
About CSISAC
The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) is the "voice of civil society" at the OECD. CSISAC strengthens the relationship between civil society and the OECD and promotes better-informed and more widely accepted policies for the IT sector. CSISAC contributes to the OECD's work on Digital Economy Policy and promotes the exchange of information between the OECD and civil society. The OECD provides civil society participants with substantial empirical analyses that enable informed policy assessments; CSISAC provides the OECD with the essential perspectives of experts and NGOs leaders.
In order to fullfil its mission, CSISAC participates in the regular meetings of the OECD Digital Economy Committee (CDEP) and its working parties: the Working Party on Measurement and Analysis of the Digital Economy (MADE), the Working Party on Communication, Infrastructures and Services Policy (CISP) and the Working Party on Security and Privacy in the Digital Economy (SPDE). The participation of CSISAC consists in the circulation of the draft reports and working paperS among Civil Society experts for analysis and assessment, attendance at the regular meetings by CSISAC representatives, and the submission of policy assessments for the ongoing policy guidance. In addition, CSISAC nominates high level experts to participate in the ad-hoc sessions like expert groups or advisory panels linked to specific policy developments.
October 5, 2015
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released the Digital Risk Management Recommendation, the latest revision of the well established Digital Security Guidelines. The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) has actively contributed to this revision, focusing on preserving human rights and fundamental values, and working to ensure that responsibility is to be assumed not only by the end user. A multi-stakeholder approach should be followed by governments for the development of national security strategies.
CSISAC fosters Human Rights, Responsibility and Multi-Stakeholder Design
The CSISAC has worked together with the OECD, member states and other stakeholders as an interface to facilitate the contribution of acknowledged experts and academics from Civil Society.
Among the improvements of the guidelines, CSISAC is proud to see reflected Human Rights and Fundamental Values as one of the four General Principles. We believe that this improves the role of transparency in the management of digital security risk by all stakeholders.
The inclusion of the Responsibility Principle is also a welcome outcome, as it helps in ensuring that all involved stakeholders take their responsibility in the management of risk in the digital realm. In the case of disruptions of infrastructures and services, the responsibility cannot be delegate only to the final user. This principle helps in keeping the continuity in the responsibility chain.
Another prominent signal is the explicit recommendation of a multi-stakeholder approach for the development of national security strategies. As the recent revelations about governmental pervasive surveillance programs show, the benefits of including civil society in the development of those strategies is necessary to help prevent similar disfunctions in the future. CSISAC will be happy to continue contributing to a productive dialogue with the member states through the work of the OECD Committee for the Digital Economy Policy.
The OECD Digital Risk Management Recommendation
The OECD Digital Risk Management Recommendation is one of the fundamental references for leaders and CEOs of public and private sectors in global policy making.
Disruption of operations, financial loss, reputational damage, loss of competitiveness, lawsuits, as well as loss of trust among customers, employees, shareholders and partners: recent high-profile examples illustrate the far-reaching economic consequences that digital security incidents can have for organisations. Security incidents also affect individuals through a multitude of less known privacy breaches and incidents with potential harmful consequences.
The OECD, whose last Recommendation on digital security was in 2002, offers eight principles to guide digital security risk management, including on the responsibility of different actors, co-operation between stakeholders and the role of innovation. It recommends that countries adopt national plans to ensure that measures are identified and implemented to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from digital security incidents. The emphasis of the Recommendation on the notion of 'risk' is one of the main characteristics of this new version, one strongly supported by CSISAC because the previous focus on security did not adequately acknowledge the value of preserving and fostering fundamental issues like human rights and privacy.
The OECD Recommendation on Digital Security Risk Management was prepared under the guidance of the OECD Committee on Digital Economy (CDEP) with the input of the Working Parties on Communication Infrastructure and Services Policy (CISP), Measurement and Analysis in the Digital Economy (MADE), Security and Privacy in the Digital Economy (SPDE), together with expert groups and advisory panels. Thanks to the support of its funders and the voluntary contribution of its membership, the CSISAC has managed to extend civil society participation to the full set of policy assessment environments at the OECD CDEP.
The final version of the Recommendation can be found at the OECD Library (http://oe.cd/dsrm).
July 17, 2015
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released the Digital Economy Outlook 2015, one of the most influential reports in Internet policy-making worldwide. The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) has actively contributed to the preparation of the Digital Economy Outlook 2015, emphasizing the right to privacy and a consumer rights perspective, together with the need to preserve an open Internet.
Privacy and Access from a Civil Society Perspective
The concerns of CSISAC can be found reflected in the Digital Economy Outlook 2015. For example, the report highlights the increasing concerns of the population about privacy, where 64% of respondents are more concerned about privacy than they were a year ago. The concerns of the citizens, now better informed about the existence of governmental mass surveillance programs thanks to the revelations of Edward Snowden and others, can also be found on the governmental side, where security and privacy are ranked 2nd and 3rd top priorities for governments. As a result, the Digital Economy Outlook supports the need to incorporate a whole-of-society perspective in the development of cyber-strategies, an increasingly relevant issue considering that 27 out of 34 countries now have a digital strategy.
For example, while a positive outlook is depicted for the ICT sector, with services growing at 30% per year and up to 95% of enterprises connected by broadband, the report also confirms the persistence of a digital divide, with 58% "broader" Internet activity by users with tertiary education than by those with less education. Also, while 82% of adults in the OECD area used the Internet, less than 49% of those over 55 years used it. Those divergences in use by education and age are a clear sign of the need to persist in the efforts made by CSISAC together with many organizations of Civil Society worldwide to foster a positive balance between economic growth and social prosperity.
The OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2015 also highlights new developments in policy and technology with impact on the digital economy. The emergence of the Internet of the Things or the convergence of telecom and broadcasting services into IP networks are reviewed in the report, including the introduction of legal measures to prohibit blocking and discrimination of services (net neutrality). The evolution of the infrastructures supporting digital activity is also reviewed, finding an increased share of optic fibre in total fixed broadband subscriptions, up to 16.5% in June 2014. Also important from a consumer perspective, the report shows how prices have registered a decrease for fixed broadband per Mpbs, down by 52% in the case of mobile broadband baskets for smartphones compared to 2012.
The OECD Digital Economy Outlook
The OECD Digital Economy Outlook is a biennial series reporting on the most relevant policy and technological developments with impact in the digital economy from a comparative evidence perspective. The importance of this work is reflected in its main audience, the political leaders and policy-makers with influence in shaping Internet policy worldwide.
The OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2015 was prepared under the guidance of the OECD Committee on Digital Economy (CDEP) with the input of the Working Parties on Communication Infrastructure and Services Policy (CISP), Measurement and Analysis in the Digital Economy (MADE), Security and Privacy in the Digital Economy (SPDE), together with expert groups and advisory panels. Thanks to the support of its funders and the voluntary contribution of its membership, the CSISAC has managed to extend Civil Society participation to the full set of policy assessment environments at the OECD CDEP.
The Digital Economy Outlook 2015 merges in one single document the contents previously provided by the OECD Communications Outlook and the Internet Economy Outlook (formerly OECD Information Technology Outlook). A copy of the report can be ordered at the OECD Library, which provides as well a link to access the Digital Economy Outlook 2015 online.
September 30, 2013
The OECD has released a new publication titled "The Internet Economy on the Rise: Progress since the Seoul Declaration." This publication reviews progress made since the 2008 OECD Seoul Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy and identifies areas for future work. Seven themes are addressed: high-speed infrastructure; digital content and green ICTs; the development of smarter applications; cybersecurity and privacy; consumer empowerment and protection; an open Internet economy; and global participation for development.
June 23, 2014
Speaking at a high level meeting on Internet Policy Making, CSISAC Steering Committee member and EPIC President Marc Rotenberg urged the OECD to examine the impact dominant Internet firms may have on the future of innovation and freedom. Citing the Charter of the OECD Civil Society Council, Rotenberg said "dominant Internet firms are moving to consolidate their control over the Internet. It is vitally important for the OECD to develop a better understanding of the challenge industry consolidations pose to the open Internet." The OECD is well known for the International Privacy Guidelines and is currently updating the Security Guidelines, which establish a global framework for managing cyber risks. A Ministerial meeting meeting will be held in Mexico in 2016.
January 6, 2014
In December 2013, the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP, formerly ICCP) agreed to revise the 2002 Recommendation of the Council concerning Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks: Towards a Culture of Security (Security Guidelines).
January 30, 2010
The OECD has released the report "International Mobile Roaming Charging in the OECD Area" that provides information and analysis on market developments and pricing in international mobile roaming services. "While the wireless industry has witnessed spectacular developments in recent years, and is considered competitive in domestic markets, there is a widespread perception among many stakeholders, including some within the industry itself, that international mobile roaming services prices are unreasonably and inefficiently high," the OECD noted. The report provides comparative information on international mobile roaming service retail prices as well as other information. For more information: OECD: Telecommunications and Internet Policy.
October 7, 2009
The Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will host a series of meeting from October 12-16, 2009 in Paris, France.
The 27th Meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held in October 12-13. From Emerging Privacy issues to portability, competition, and innovation, the ICCP Technology Foresight Forum on Cloud Computing will be held on October 15. A briefing Paper on Cloud Computing and Public Policy prepared for the Forum has been released.
The 58th session of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy will be held at the OECD Headquarters in October 15-16, 2009.
The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council will be represented by Gus Hosein from Privacy International, Gwen Hinze, International Policy Director Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and member of CSISAC Steering Committee, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison, and International Privacy Director Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
September 22, 2009
Civil Society participants at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future on the Internet affirmed "that the policy goals for the Future of the Internet should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication infrastructures and services. Economic growth should be for the many and not the few. The Internet should be available to all."
June 14, 2009
The Working Party on Internet Economy (WPIE) will be held on June 17-18 in Paris, France. This Committee focuses on digital content, ICT diffusion to business, ICT-enabled offshoring, ICT skills and employment, the publication of the OECD Information Technology Outlook, and ICTs and the Environment.
Some topics that this Committee addressed are:
- Economic impacts of broadband; Digital broadband content (public sector information, film and video, online advertising); Access and distribution to digital content, including user generated content; content protection, mobile commerce; RFID and other sensors.
Some issues that might be of interest of CSISAC members are:
- Balance Intellectual Property Policies, Digital Inclusion, Employment, ICT & The Environment, A2K, Privacy & Transparency, Pluralistic Media, Consumer Protection
January 29, 2009
The new OECD website on Innovation Strategy will discuss how innovation works in a global market for science and technology. Their goal is to help policy makers improve framework conditions.
January 29, 2009
On May 27-28, 2009, the OECD and the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will hold a conference on “ICTs, the environment and climate change”.
January 29, 2009
On February 19-20, 2009, ANACOM will host an OECD Expert Workshop on Measuring Mobile & Wireless Service Data in Lisbon, Portugal.
January 29, 2009
OECD published the 2008 edition of the OECD Information Technology Outlook analyzes recent developments in the IT goods and services industries.
January 2, 2009
A diverse group of civil society organizations and individuals from the Public Voice Coalition worked on a joint Civil Society Declaration to the OECD 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy, which took place in Seoul in June 2008.
This document raises a number of issues of major importance to the civil society community and makes a number of recommendations to move towards the future of the Internet that meets the essential needs of all the world's citizens. The declaration has been signed by (so far) 86 organizations and more than 99 individuals.
January 1, 2009
With the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast.
All the materials are placed online
January 1, 2009
On June 16, 2008, more than 150 participants from 15 countries gathered in Seoul, South Korea, for the Civil Society - Labor Forum "Making the Future of the Internet Economy Work for Citizens, Consumers, and Workers. The event was organized by the The Public Voicecoalition, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), and the OECD Civil Society Reference group, which includes the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Canadian Internet Policy and Public interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Consumers Korea (CK), the European Digital Rights Initiative (EDRI), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Internet Governance Project (IGP), and the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD).
June 30, 2008
The presentations of all the speakers at the OECD Civil Society Forum are now available online. The forum consists of interactive policy round tables, covering the future of the Internet from 5 perspectives: the Human and political dimension; Towards a better future – Decent work, social justice and sustainable development in a global Internet economy; Fueling creativity and access to knowledge (A2K); Ensuring consumer and privacy protection and benefiting from convergence
June 30, 2008
With the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. The Meeting, which was the first OECD Ministerial Meeting held in Asia, brought together Ministers, senior government officials, the heads of major intergovernmental organisations, industry leaders and representatives of the Internet technical community, civil society and organised labour. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast. In addition to the participants, many more contributed to the Meeting via the Internet. The full EPIC report is available online.
June 30, 2008
A report made by Cristos Velasco´s blog on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.
June 30, 2008
Statement presented by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) at the closing of OECD ministerial conference on the future Internet economy on June 18, 2008.
June 30, 2008
Civil Society Participants in the Public Voice Coalition published a Civil Society Policy Paper, which was presented at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy held on 17-18 June 2008 in Seoul, Korea.
